# NTSB FTW93LA003: Cessna Ector 305A, N910E, Houston, TX, October 3, 1992 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 3, 1992, 11:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.620286, -95.189025 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6203&lon=-95.1890&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 21, 1993 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18588 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18588/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA003 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT'S INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP. FACTORS WERE THE LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THIS PILOT'S INABILITY TO SEE THE OTHER AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP. FACTORS WERE THE LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE INABILITY OF THE OTHER PILOT TO SEE THIS AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - aircraft moving on ground - visual lookout - not possible, pilot of other aircraft - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - aircraft moving on ground - visual lookout - not possible, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot of other aircraft (cause) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) THE STINSON L 5, N6438C, WAS THE NUMBER 3 AIRCRAFT AND THE CESSNA ECTOR 305A, N910E, WAS THE NUMBER 2 AIRCRAFT IN A FOUR SHIP FLIGHT THAT WAS LANDING IN STAGGERED TRAIL FORMATION FOLLOWING AN AIR SHOW PERFORMANCE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ECTOR 305A, WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE AS PER THE BRIEFING, GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST IN THE PATH OF THE STINSON L 5 WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT OF THE STINSON STATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ECTOR 305A AS HE LOWERED THE TAIL OF HIS AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND OF BETWEEN 4 AND 10 KNOTS. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) THE CESSNA ECTOR 305A, N910E, WAS THE NUMBER 2 AIRCRAFT AND THE STINSON L 5, N6438C, WAS THE NUMBER 3 AIRCRAFT IN A FOUR SHIP FLIGHT THAT WAS LANDING IN STAGGERED TRAIL FORMATION FOLLOWING AN AIR SHOW PERFORMANCE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ECTOR 305A, WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE AS PER THE BRIEFING, GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST IN THE PATH OF THE STINSON L 5 WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT OF THE STINSON STATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ECTOR 305A AS HE LOWERED THE TAIL OF HIS AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND OF BETWEEN 4 AND 10 KNOTS. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: N910E (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA ECTOR 305A - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 305A-2038 - Airframe hours: 187 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-A4B5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Lone Star Flight Meseum - Registered owner: Lone Star Flight Meseum - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 1992, 11 hours before - Departed: EFD - Destination: EFD - Airport: EFD, Ellington Field, runway 17, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N6438C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6438C), registered now, S/N 1428, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: STINSON L-5 - Registry model: [Stinson L-5](https://openairdocs.org/model/stinson-l-5) (registry code 8630202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-435A/0-435C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-435a-0-435c) (registry code 41517, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1428 - Airframe hours: 2795 - Engines: LYCOMING O-435-C 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Alamo Liaison Group, Inc. - Registered owner: Alamo Liaison Group, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 31, 1992, 30 hours before - Departed: EFD - Destination: EFD - Airport: EFD, Ellington Field, runway 17, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N910E; age 46; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 1,500 total, 10 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot, aircraft N6438C; age 52; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 630 total, 95 in this make and model, 572 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19921003040072A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921003040072A), Oct 3, 1992: Cessna 305A, Houston, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On formation air show landing roll. Ground looped and struck by NR3 aircraft N6438C. Found a blow tire. - [Accident 19921003040071A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921003040071A), Oct 3, 1992: Stnson L5, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. Landing in trail at air show. Struck N910E as it ground looped into his aircraft. Forward visibility nil tail down. 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.