Amateur-built AA-1 accident near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, March 16, 1986
On March 16, 1986 at about 4:20 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1, registered N224Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pottstown, Pennsylvania (Pottstown Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1986 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pottstown, Pennsylvania · Pottstown Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1
- Registration
- N224Y · registry record · serial AA1-0015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT SHORT OF THE INTENDED RWY. A CFI WAITING ON THE TAXIWAY FOR CLEARANCE TO TAKEOFF STATED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE OK ABOUT 200 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD OF THE RWY. THEN IT APPEARED TO SLIP TO THE LEFT AND TURN 90 DEGREES TO THE RT IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE IMPACT WAS NOT OBSERVED DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF THE EMBANKMENT. THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE ACCIDENT ACFT STATED THAT WHEN HE ASKED THE STUDENT PLT FLYING THE ACFT TO ADD POWER TO DECREASE THE ACFT SINK RATE THE STUDENT CLOSED THE THROTTLE. THE CFI PUSHED THE THROTTLE FOR FULL POWER BUT TOO LATE TO OVERCOME THE SINK RATE. THE CFI THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A ROAD BY THE EMBANKMENT. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING AND THE ACFT ENDED UP AGAINST THE EMBANKMENT MINUS THE LEFT WING, LEFT MAIN LNDG GEAR AND NOSE GEAR. THE DIRECTION OF THE ROAD WAS ABOUT 90 DEGREES OFF THE RWY HEADING. THERE WERE 4 CUTS IN THE ROAD FROM THE ACFT PROP RANGING IN DEPTH FROM 1/8 TO 3/4 INCHES DEEP AND 15 INCHES WIDE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,435 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,582 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1985; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N46 Limerick PA
- Destination: N47 Pottstown PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC86FHA02.