American AA-1A N9454L

Summary

On 9 June 2014 at about 18:15 local time, a American AA-1A registered N9454L was involved in an accident near El Mirage, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 June 2014 at 18:15

Classification

Accident

Location

El Mirage, California, United States

Coordinates

34.6500, -117.6175

Aircraft

American AA-1A

Registration

N9454L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1971

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Mirage → El Mirage

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14FA239

2 people died.

The pilot's loss of airplane control while intentionally maneuvering close to the ground, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack in a steep bank and entering an accelerated stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was providing airplane rides to family and friends who had assembled at a dry lakebed. He completed two uneventful flights and then departed for a third flight from the lakebed. According to witnesses, the pilot had planned to perform a low pass over the group, and he did so just after takeoff, passing within about 50 ft directly overhead. The entire accident sequence was captured on video. The airplane dipped its right wing as it passed over the camera position and, after the pass, continued in a climbing right turn, which progressed rapidly to almost 90 degrees of bank. The excessive bank angle resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an accelerated stall at an altitude too low for recovery. The airplane then entered the initial stages of a spin before striking the ground in an almost vertical attitude. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. Although the reason for the aggressive turn could not be determined, the pilot's overflight of the group while maneuvering at low altitude is consistent with an intentionally-performed ostentatious display.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.