Amateur-built AA-1 accident near Chehalis, Washington, December 23, 2002
On December 23, 2002 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1, registered N5985L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chehalis, Washington (Chehalis-Centralia airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power, for undetermined reasons, while the aircraft was on a VFR final approach. No suitable terrain for landing and water were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2002 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chehalis, Washington · Chehalis-Centralia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1
- Registration
- N5985L · no longer on the register · serial 0285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the day of the accident, the pilot landed at the Chehalis-Centralia Airport and then had lunch with his son. After lunch, the pilot and his son decided to take a short flight to look at some nearby property. After takeoff, the pilot climbed to a little over 2,000 feet, and flew toward the location of the property. As the aircraft neared the subject area, he discovered that the property was covered by dense low-level fog. They therefore headed back to the airport. During the last part of the descending approach, the pilot advanced the power lever, but there was no response from the engine. The pilot attempted to stretch the glide to the end of the runway, but he was unable to do so, and he ultimately ended up ditching in a long narrow pond that was closely aligned with his approach heading. During the investigation it was determined that the selected fuel tank had about one gallon of fuel in it when the aircraft was recovered. It was also determined that the aircraft was operating in icing conditions severe enough that carburetor icing could be expected at cruise power and below. At the termination of the investigation, it could not be positively determined if the aircraft's engine was starved of fuel due to the low quantity in the selected left tank, or whether the pilot had forgotten to apply full carburetor heat resulting in a loss of power due to an accumulation of ice in the carburetor.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,398.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 2002; 7.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLS Chehalis WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
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.