Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B accident near Mobile, Arizona, May 21, 2023
On May 21, 2023 at about 3:33 pm local time, a 2000 Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B, registered N108AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Mobile, Arizona (Motown airport). 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 visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, resulting in a runway excursion and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2023 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Mobile, Arizona · Motown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B, built 2000 · all A-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N108AM · registry record · serial 2136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during a wheel landing, the airplane touched down and bounced. He added a “slight bump of power” and decided to turn the landing into a three-point landing. The airplane was higher above the ground than he realized, and it stalled. During the second touchdown, the airplane landed hard, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane bounced a second time, then settled onto the runway and veered off the runway to the left. The airplane crossed a berm and nosed over. The left-wing struts, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 441.9 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 20.2 in the last 90 days; 7.6 in the last 30 days; 441.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2022; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 1,086 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: A39 Maricopa AZ at 3:18 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,700 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from KCGZ, 25 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCGZ 211556Z AUTO 12007KT 10SM CLR 27/09 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP136 T02720089 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 8, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR23LA195.