Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Roscoe, New York, September 26, 1988
On September 26, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N4518N, was destroyed in an accident near Roscoe, New York (Sky Top airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- September 26, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Roscoe, New York · Sky Top · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N4518N · no longer on the register · serial AA5B1045
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THE ENG LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF PAST MID-FIELD AND HE INITIATED AN ABORT. THE ACFT WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN THE REMAINING RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRT EMBANKMENT PAST THE END OF THE RWY. THE OWNER OF THE ACFT IS A STUDENT PLT AND WAS THE PASSENGER ON THE FLT. HE SAID THE PILOT TOLD HIM THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE ENG WAS DEVELOPING ENOUGH POWER. THE OWNER SAID THE ABORT WAS INITIATED JUST BEYOND MID-FIELD. HE SAID HE DID NOT HEAR ANY UNUSUAL NOISES FROM THE ENG OR REDUCTION OF RPM BEFORE THE ABORT WAS INITIATED. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE AT THE ACDT SITE AND THE ENG WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN BY THE MANUFACTURER. NEITHER THE EXAM BY THE FAA NOR THE ENG RUN PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A ENG FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 5,739 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1987; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7N5 at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 3N5 Newton NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 1,540 ft by 110 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.