American AA-1A accident near Wellsville, Pennsylvania, November 27, 1983
On November 27, 1983 at about 8:45 pm local time, a American AA-1A, registered N81YB, was destroyed in an accident near Wellsville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 1983 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wellsville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N81YB · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0053
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE FLT, THE PLT STATED THAT HE WOULD BE FLYING FORAPRX 1/2 HR. APRX 25 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, GROUND WITNESSES NORTHEAST OF THE ARPT OBSERVED THE ACFT ON A WESTERLY HEADING, TURNING TOWARD THE ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THEY SAW THE ACFT IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THEY DESCRIBED IT AS FLIPPING OR CORKSCREWING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A PLT, WHO WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 1350 FT MSL, ALSO SAW THE ACFT SPINNING AT APRX HIS ALT. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE RECOVERING, BUT WAS STILL OUT OF CONTROL, WHEN HE LOST SIGHT OF IT. ANOTHER PERSON IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT 1000 TO 1500 FT FROM THE IMPACT POINT HEARD THE ACFT BUT DID NOT SEE IT. HE SAID THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL SECONDS BEFORE HE HEARD THE PLANE CRASH. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS WERE COMPRESSED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 204 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 164 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 07N Krallton PA at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from CXY, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.