Avions Mudry CAP10B accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, April 21, 1990
On April 21, 1990 at about 3:58 pm local time, a Avions Mudry CAP10B, registered N64UV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Mark Andrews Grand Forks airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN OVER TEMPERATURE OF THE INLET FUEL LINE RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION (VAPOR LOCK) IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1990 · about 3:58 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Mark Andrews Grand Forks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Avions Mudry CAP10B
- Registration
- N64UV · no longer on the register · serial 175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N64UV SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, IN A FIELD NEAR THE GRAND FORKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NORTH DAKOTA. DURING FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS. HE SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND HE WAS FORCED TO LAND ON AN UNSUITABLE LANDING SURFACE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE INDICATED THAT THE POER LOSS WAS DUE TO VAPOR LOCK IN THE INLET FUEL LINE TO THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP. SUBSEQUENT ENGINE TEST RUN WAS SUCCESSFUL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,010 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 793 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,037 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1990; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B2F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Destination: GFK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from GFK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.