NTSB BFO91LA054 — 1991-06-13 · UNION HALL, Virginia, United States

N9755U has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (UVIFY 810-00028), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N9755U Grumman AA-1C None

Probable cause & findings

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER BROUGHT ON BY A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE CLYINDER EXHAUST VALVE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A HIDDEN OBJECT ON THE EMERGENCY LANDING FIELD.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT WAS AT CRUISE ALTITUDE WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. HE TRIED TO ANALYZE HIS PROBLEM WITH NO SUCCESS. HE THEN EXPERIENCED A FURTHER POWER LOSS AND ELECTED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE ENGINE COULD NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTIAN ALTITUDE SO THE PILOT FOUND IT NECESSARY TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A HIDDEN OBSTRUCTION WHICH TORE AWAY THE LEFT AND NOSE LANDING GEAR. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_BFO91LA054.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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