# NTSB DEN73FTE70: Amer Avco AA1, N6346L, Erie, CO, April 21, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: April 21, 1973
- Place: Erie, CO · ERIE, CO
- Location: 40.0403° N, 105.0383° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Erie, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0403&lon=-105.0383&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 5, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 170623
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN73FTE70
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN73FTE70

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0875  73/4/21    ERIE,COLO           AMER AVCO AA1       CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1800                    N6346L              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 24, 887 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            40 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          BOULDER,COLO                DENVER,COLO
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           STALL: SPIN                                              IN FLIGHT: ACROBATICS
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER OPERATION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - UNWARRANTED LOW FLYING
        REMARKS- ACFT ENTERED A SPIN,THEN WENT INTO A FLAT SPIN.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6346L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6346L-1974-10-29), registration cancelled 1974-10-29, S/N AA1A-346 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMER AVCO AA1
- Registry model: [American AA-1A](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-aa-1a) (registry code 0630710) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19730421008269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730421008269A), Apr 21, 1973: Grumav AA1A, Erie, CO, Substantial damage. Acft entered a spin,then went into a flat spin.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.