Amateur-built AA-1A accident near Lancaster, New York, December 27, 1994
On December 27, 1994 at about 3:34 am local time, a amateur-built AA-1A, registered N9457L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, New York (Lancaster airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL TO RETURN TO THE HOME AIRPORT AFTER PROCEEDING TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT AND MAKING A MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (AT THE DESTINATION AND ALTERNATE AIRPORTS) AND DARKNESS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1994 · about 3:34 am local time
- Place
- Lancaster, New York · Lancaster · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1A
- Registration
- N9457L · no longer on the register · serial AA-1A-0257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED BUFFALO, NEW YORK (9G0) ABOUT 1900 EST, DESTINED FOR PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA (PIT). HE ENCOUNTERED TRAFFIC DELAYS AT PIT AND DECIDED TO GO TO HIS ALTERNATE, LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA (LBE). THE PILOT MADE A MISSED APPROACH AT LBE DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS, THEN DECIDED TO RETURN TO 9G0. DURING THE APPROACH TO 9G0, THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER, SO THE PILOT DIVERTED TO THE LANCASTER AIRPORT (D77). ABOUT 2234 EST, BEFORE REACHING THE RUNWAY AT D77, TOTAL POWER WAS LOST AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 3,900 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 1994; 100 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: 9G0 Buffalo NY
- Destination: PIT Pittsburgh PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 2,575 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.