American Aviation AA-1A accident near High Rolls, New Mexico, November 26, 2025
On November 26, 2025 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1971 American Aviation AA-1A, registered N9439L, was destroyed in an accident near High Rolls, New Mexico (Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2025 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- High Rolls, New Mexico · Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aviation AA-1A, built 1971 · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9439L · registry record · serial AA1A-0239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 26, 2025, about 1145 mountain standard time, an American Aviation AA-1A airplane, N9439L was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and received his private pilot certificate about one month prior to the accident. On Nov 24, 2025, he began a long cross-country flight that departed Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA), Palm Springs, Florida, about 1310. He flew to several destinations and landed at DeFuniak Springs Airport (54J), DeFuniak Springs, Florida, about 1843. On Nov 25, he departed 54J about 0921 and flew to several destinations and then landed at Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM), Carlsbad, New Mexico, about 2238. The morning of November 26, 2025, the airplane departed CNM about 0702 and landed at Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport (ALM), Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 0803. About 1132, the airplane departed ALM and when the airplane did not return a concerned family member alerted authorities. The FAA then issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) for the missing airplane. Subsequently, the airplane wreckage was located the next morning by the New Mexico State police about 7 miles east of ALM. Preliminary flight track data was not available for the accident flight. The airplane came to rest on an ascending mountainous slope, at an elevation of about 6,300 ft mean sea level, on a heading of 150° magnetic. The rocky terrain was composed of downed trees, tree limbs, and loosely spaced pine trees that were about 75 ft in height. The first identified point of impact was the top of a tree, with several other severed tree branches. All major components of the airplane were contained within the accident site. Most of the airplane’s wreckage was consumed by a post impact fire. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for future examination.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,097.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ALM Alamogordo NM at 6:32 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 am from KALM, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KALM 261835Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/01 A3036 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 WPR26FA051.