Amateur-built AA-1B accident near Tafton, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1996
On August 17, 1996 at about 2:20 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1B, registered N9611L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tafton, Pennsylvania (Mountain Bay 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 pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1996 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tafton, Pennsylvania · Mountain Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1B
- Registration
- N9611L · no longer on the register · serial 0265
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot's first approach to the 2,200-foot paved strip was high and fast, and he performed a go-around. During his second approach, he touched down about 700 feet from the approach end and applied brakes. The pilot determined that there was insufficient distance remaining to abort the landing, and the airplane ran off the end of the runway down an embankment. The Owner's Manual listed the total required landing distance to be 1,320 feet, with a ground roll of 520 feet, to clear a 50 foot obstacle.
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: 119 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 62 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MPO Mount Pocono PA at 1:45 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from AVP, 20 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.