American AA-1A accident near Paulsbo, Washington, September 2, 1982
On September 2, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a American AA-1A, registered N9410L, was destroyed in an accident near Paulsbo, Washington. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Paulsbo, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9410L · no longer on the register · serial AA-1A-0210
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEMONSTRATING A PRACTICE FORCED LANDING APPROACH, A CLIMB WAS STARTED. SHORT THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND AN ACTUAL FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WOODED AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR WHEN IT STRUCK TREES DURING THE LANDING. ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT WING TANK. THE RIGHT WING TANK WAS RUPTURED BY IMPACT FORCES. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE LINES OR CARBURETOR. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER, HE CHANGED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. HE STATED THAT ABOUT FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE POWER LOSS, THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THE TANK WAS ABOUT 1/4 FULL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command; 1,160 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,806 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,465 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIW Tacoma WA at 2:10 pm
- Destination: PAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.