American AA-1A accident near Madison, Connecticut, July 18, 1998
On July 18, 1998 at about 5:30 pm local time, a American AA-1A, registered N9418L, was destroyed in an accident near Madison, Connecticut (Griswold airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Was the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted landing. A factor was the winds which were variable and gusty.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1998 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Connecticut · Griswold
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9418L · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0218
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landing on runway 6, with the wind from 360, at approximately 15 knots. Just as the airplane touched down, the wind shifted around to 240 degrees with the same velocity. The airplane was observed to bounce multiple times and the pilot added power to abort the landing. As the airplane became airborne, the right wing was low and the airplane turned right. It then struck trees and descended on its right side into a swamp.
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: 600 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BDR Bridgeport CT at 5:00 pm
- Destination: N04
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 1,863 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from HVN, 15 miles away
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.