Ownership guide

Grumman American AA-1A

202 registered in the US, built from about 1971 to 1972, 2 seats, most with the Lycoming O-235. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US
202
Built
1971 to 1972
Half built by
1971
Seats
2
Engine type
Piston
Most common engine
Lycoming O-235

Engines installed

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

9 current ADs name the AA-1A airframe, 0 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 10 more. 9 equipment ADs name the model.

No current airframe AD mentions a repeat action.

Every AD for the Grumman American AA-1A

Accident record

16 accidents since 2008, 6 fatal (11 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 3 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

  1. Loss of control in flight4
  2. Loss of engine power (total)3
  3. Fuel related1
  4. Aerodynamic stall/spin1
  5. Loss of engine power (partial)1
  6. Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)1

Phase of flight

  1. Maneuvering4
  2. Enroute3
  3. Approach3
  4. Landing2
  5. Initial climb2

The latest

DateWhereWhat happenedInjuriesNTSB number
2026-05-30Amery, WIEnroute: Loss of engine power (total)MinorCEN26LA208
2025-11-26High rolls, NMUnknown: Unknown or undeterminedFatalWPR26FA051
2022-11-04Sparta, TNEnroute: Fuel relatedNoneERA23LA059
2022-06-10Granite falls, MNApproach: Loss of control in flightSeriousCEN22LA241
2022-05-17Cleburne, TXManeuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spinFatalCEN22FA203
2021-06-24Cleburne, TXEnroute: Loss of control in flightFatalCEN21FA290

From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.

What it costs to run

Per hour flown

Per year, flown or not

Fuel
$0/hr
Engine reserve
$0/hr
A year
$0
All in, per hour
$0/hr

Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Before you buy one

  1. Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
  2. For each repeat-action AD, find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
  3. Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
  4. 9 equipment ADs name the AA-1A (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
  5. Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
  6. Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.

Questions

How many Grumman American AA-1As are registered in the US?
202, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Grumman American AA-1A built?
From about 1971 to 1972. Half of those registered today were built by 1971.
What engine does the Grumman American AA-1A have?
Most have the Lycoming O-235 (96% of those registered).
How many accidents has the Grumman American AA-1A had?
16 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 6 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control in flight. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Grumman American AA-1A have?
9 current ADs name the AA-1A airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 10 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.