American General Aircraft AA-1 accident near Vestal, New York, June 29, 1993
On June 29, 1993 at about 7:25 pm local time, a American General Aircraft AA-1, registered N5932L, was destroyed in an accident near Vestal, New York. 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION FROM A FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY UNQUALIFIED PERSONNEL, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1993 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Vestal, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American General Aircraft AA-1
- Registration
- N5932L · no longer on the register · serial 0232
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. TEN MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A DESCENDING SPIRAL, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, OVER AN AREA WHERE FORCED LANDINGS WERE PRACTICED. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE LEVELING OFF AS IT WENT BEHIND A HILL TOP, THEN HEARD THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRING, FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE STUDENT PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE WAS PERFORMING HIS OWN MAINTENANCE. THIS INCLUDED CHANGING ENGINE PISTONS AND RINGS. NUMEROUS FUEL STAINS WERE OBSERVED OVER SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE SCREW WAS SET TO THE MAXIMUM LEAN CONDITION. DUCT TAPE AND ELECTRICAL TAPE HAD BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY FOR REPAIRS ON THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 19,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,718 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1992; 89 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: N17 Endicott NY at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from BGM, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.