American AA-5 accident near Stiefler Corner, Pennsylvania, April 12, 1999
On April 12, 1999 at about 3:10 pm local time, a American AA-5, registered N8764J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stiefler Corner, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot diverting his attention inside the cockpit, and allowing the airplane to enter instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in an in-flight collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1999 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Stiefler Corner, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- American AA-5 · all AA-5s on the register
- Registration
- N8764J · registry record · serial AA5-0116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departed the pilot was distracted, and forgot to initialize his GPS. The GPS was initialized during climb out causing the pilot to doubt its accuracy. While operating over a valley between partially obscured mountains, the airplane encountered turbulence. Weather at the time was 3,000 feet overcast with no restrictions to visibility. With the airplane less then 500 feet from the base of the clouds, the pilot focused his attention inside the cockpit to tune radio's and confirm his positions using a map. During this period, the pilot let the airplane climb into the overcast. 'I was not paying attention and I was close to the base of the clouds.' The airplane entered the clouds and the severity of the turbulence increased. The pilot initiated a climb, and started a left turn to proceed back to the south to regain VMC, but during the turn, and approximately 3,200 feet msl, the airplane struck a pine tree about 6 feet below its top. The pilot continued the climbing left turn, set the transponder to 7700, and transmitted a 'May Day.' About 5 minutes later, the pilot regained VMC, and landed the airplane at without further incident.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1999; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHD Shenandoah VA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: OYM St Marys PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from HGR, 57 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC99LA089.