# NTSB ERA26LA283: American AA-1, N6132L, Kearneysville, WV, July 23, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: July 23, 2026, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place: Kearneysville, WV · Field
- Coordinates: 39.323527, -77.976072 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3235&lon=-77.9761&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO, Lycoming Engines
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203468
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA283
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203468/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA283

## Preliminary report

On July 23, 2026, at 1440 eastern daylight time, an American AA-1, N6132L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kearneysville, West Virginia. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of ADS-B data showed that the airplane departed from Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport (MRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia at 1345 and proceed about 20nm south where it performed a series of maneuvers before flying back toward MRB. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that while he was descending the airplane from 3,000 ft to 1,500 ft to enter the airport traffic pattern, the engine suddenly lost all power. Unable to reach the airport, he elected to make an emergency landing in a field about 5 nm south of MRB. During the forced landing, the airplane’s right wing and engine separated from the fuselage. The fuselage, left wing, and empennage were substantially damaged. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [American AA-1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0630610), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6132L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6132L), registered now, S/N AA1-0332, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN AA-1
- Registry model: [American AA-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-aa-1) (registry code 0630610) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: AA1-0332
- Year built: 1970
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Departed: MRB, Martinsburg, WV

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KMRB, 5 nm away
- METAR: SPECI KMRB 231823Z VRB06KT 10SM CLR 26/07 A3015

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.

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