Historical Aircraft CORP. A-001 accident near Durango, Colorado, October 7, 1990
On October 7, 1990 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Historical Aircraft CORP. A-001, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N839, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF CARBURETOR HEAT EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1990 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Historical Aircraft CORP. A-001, amateur-built
- Registration
- N839 · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE POWER FAILURE. THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ONTO LEVEL TERRAIN COVERED BY LOW TREES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 546 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 546 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 1990; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,070 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ford 2300 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.