# NTSB WPR26FA051: American AA-1A, N9439L, High Rolls, NM, November 26, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report
- Date: November 26, 2025, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place: High Rolls, NM · Mountain slope
- Coordinates: 32.8405, -105.85166 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8405&lon=-105.8517&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202070
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26FA051
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202070/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA051

## Preliminary report

On November 26, 2025, about 1145 mountain standard time, an American Aviation AA-1A airplane, N9439L was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and received his private pilot certificate about one month prior to the accident. On Nov 24, 2025, he began a long cross-country flight that departed Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA), Palm Springs, Florida, about 1310. He flew to several destinations and landed at DeFuniak Springs Airport (54J), DeFuniak Springs, Florida, about 1843. On Nov 25, he departed 54J about 0921 and flew to several destinations and then landed at Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM), Carlsbad, New Mexico, about 2238. The morning of November 26, 2025, the airplane departed CNM about 0702 and landed at Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport (ALM), Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 0803. About 1132, the airplane departed ALM and when the airplane did not return a concerned family member alerted authorities. The FAA then issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) for the missing airplane. Subsequently, the airplane wreckage was located the next morning by the New Mexico State police about 7 miles east of ALM. Preliminary flight track data was not available for the accident flight. The airplane came to rest on an ascending mountainous slope, at an elevation of about 6,300 ft mean sea level, on a heading of 150° magnetic. The rocky terrain was composed of downed trees, tree limbs, and loosely spaced pine trees that were about 75 ft in height. The first identified point of impact was the top of a tree, with several other severed tree branches. All major components of the airplane were contained within the accident site. Most of the airplane’s wreckage was consumed by a post impact fire. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for future examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [American AA-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=0630710), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9439L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9439L), registered now, S/N AA1A-0239, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN AVIATION AA-1A
- Registry model: [American AA-1A](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-aa-1a) (registry code 0630710) (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: AA1A-0239
- Year built: 1971
- Airframe hours: 3097.6
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2025
- Departed: ALM, Alamogordo, NM
- Airport: ALM, Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
- Equipment: Unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observed at: KALM, 7 nm away
- METAR: METAR KALM 261835Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/01 A3036 RMK AO2

## 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 20251126020689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251126020689A), Nov 26, 2025: American Aviation AA-1A, Alamogordo, NM, Destroyed, 2 fatal. On November 26, 2025, Grumman AA1-A was destroyed during a part 91 personal flight. The aircraft took off from Alamogordo new Mexico (alm) airport at 11:32AM…

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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