Amateur-built AA-5 accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts, October 9, 1998
On October 9, 1998 at about 11:44 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5, registered N7100L, was destroyed in an accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts (Provincetown Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to follow the published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in inadvertent collision with water. Factors in the accident were the dark night and low ceiling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1998 · about 11:44 pm local time
- Place
- Provincetown, Massachusetts · Provincetown Muni Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5
- Registration
- N7100L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-0600
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot initiated an ILS approach in IMC conditions, at night, from over water. After tracking on the localizer and glideslope for part of the approach, the airplane entered a descent and leveled off at 100 feet for about 12 seconds prior to disappearing from radar. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the airplane. Both wings had sustained moderate impact damage. The outboard portion of the left wing was not recovered. The pilot had told approach control that if he missed, he would request the approach to a nearby airport. The navigation radio frequencies did not match the instrument approach flown, the missed approach, or the planned subsequent approach.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,371 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1,255 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALB Albany NY at 9:48 pm
- Destination: PVC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 3,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from PVC, 2 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.