Event ERA16LA228

Factual narrative

On June 23, 2016, at 0830 eastern daylight time, an American Aviation AA-1A, N9341L, was substantially damaged when it impacted a parked vehicle and a hangar during landing at the Sky Ranch Airport (TN98), Knoxville, Tennessee. The private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight that departed TN98 about 0730. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane landed on the left side of the centerline on runway 19, a 2,100-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, turf runway. A set of tire impressions in the turf extended from the left side of the runway in a relatively straight line, across a paved taxiway to the struck vehicle, and then continued to the airplane's final resting location at a hangar, with no indication of braking. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions The airplane came to rest with the nose section embedded in the north wall of a hangar that was located about 800 feet from the approach end of the runway, and 220 feet to the left of the runway centerline. The engine cowling and wing leading edges were crushed aft. The windscreen was fragmented and completely separated from the fuselage. The firewall was displaced and the instrument panel was buckled between the left control yoke and the panel center. The skin under the wings and along the empennage was wrinkled. The pilot reported that he has been flying locally for about 1 hour and he recalled slowing the airplane to about 65 miles per hour for landing, The pilot stated that after touchdown, he "lost control of the airplane." The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He reported a total flight experience of 585 hours; of which, 16 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. All 16 hours were flown within the 90-day period preceding the accident. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee, was located about 4 miles south of the accident site. The recorded wind at TYS, at 0853, was from 220° at 15 knots. The private pilot landed the airplane on a 2,100-ft-long, 150-ft-wide turf runway in a 15-knot right quartering headwind and lost control of the airplane after touchdown. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, proceeded in a straight line across a paved taxiway, struck a parked vehicle, and came to rest after impacting a hangar about 800 ft from the approach end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the pilot report any. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-(general)-Effect on operation - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Residence/building-Contributed to outcome