WPR26LA182

NTSB accident investigation · American AA-5 · Jurupa Valley, CA · May 12, 2026

Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal report
Date
May 11, 2026, 20:40 local (May 12, 2026, 03:40 UTC)
Place
Jurupa Valley, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N5832LAmerican AA-5
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Completed · report August 20, 2026
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
FAA Riverside FSDO
FAA report
20260511008269A
Case key
202973

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to land at night on a runway without illuminated runway lights. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to review NOTAMs for a nightly airport closure.

Findings · 5

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAmerican AA-5: 2 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Light condition: darkEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnelAmerican AA-5: 1 caseAll aircraft: 448 casesProbable cause
Airport facilities/design: ground support/equipmentEnvironmental issues › Operating environment · Awareness of conditionAmerican AA-5: 1 caseAll aircraft: 6 casesProbable cause
Airport facilities/design: runway lightingEnvironmental issues › Operating environment · Effect on personnelAmerican AA-5: 1 caseAll aircraft: 18 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot reported that he had planned the flight to include three take-offs and landings after dark, to renew his night currency after several years of not flying at night. He entered the traffic pattern in near-dark conditions and attempted several times to activate the pilot controlled runway lights, but was unable to do so, and elected to land without the runway lights illuminated. He reported that he lost visual contact with the runway and started searching for the runway while judging his position based on the airport buildings. At about 20-30 ft above the surface, he observed the ground just in front of the airplane and realized the airplane was not aligned with the runway. He added power to perform a go-around, but the airplane struck an airport perimeter fence located to the left of the runway. The airplane spun around to the right before coming to rest in the dirt/grass area next to the runway. During the accident sequence the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. According to the pilot, he did not review the FAA notice to airmen (NOTAM) advising that the airport was closed daily from sunset to sunrise, which was in effect at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N5832L
Reported as
American AA-5
Category
Airplane
Serial number
AA5-0232
Built
1972
Airframe hours
4,201
Engine
Lycoming O360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 23, 2025 · 42 hours before
Destination
Same as departure
Airport
RIR · Flabob Airport, runway 06/24, 3,190 × 50 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Handheld GPS

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
59
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Waiver time limited special
Last flight review
June 28, 2025
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
2,056 total · 1,726 in this make and model · 1,936 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind
260° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
29.94 inHg
Observed at
KRAL, 3 nm away
METAR
METAR KRAL 110253Z 26007KT 10SM CLR 22/14 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP124 T02170139 53017

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.