Smith, Ted Aerostar 601 accident near New Iberia, Louisiana, May 4, 1989
On May 4, 1989, a Smith, Ted Aerostar 601, registered N90619, was destroyed in an accident near New Iberia, Louisiana (Acadiana Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS EXCESSIVE MANIFOLD PRESSURE INDICATIONS FOR THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION IN DEALING WITH THAT CONDITION MOST PROBABLY RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1989
- Place
- New Iberia, Louisiana · Acadiana Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar 601
- Registration
- N90619 · no longer on the register · serial 61-0327-110
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE DEPART AND LAST SAW AND HEARD IT WITH THE LANDING GEAR DOWN AND BOTH ENGINES RUNNING AT WHAT THEY CALLED NORMAL TAKEOFF POWER. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND, LEFT WING FIRST. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING HIGH POWER WHILE THE LEFT ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING SOMEWHAT LESS THAN TAKEOFF POWER. TEARDOWN OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED METAL EROSION ON THE TOP EDGES OF THE PISTONS WITH NO CORRESPONDING MARKS ON THE CYLINDER WALLS. SOME OF THIS EROSION WAS FROM PREVIOUS OPERATION AND SOME WAS FROM VERY RECENT OPERATION. THERE WAS NO TEARDOWN OF THE RIGHT ENGINE. OTHER THAN THE EROSION OF THE PISTONS, NOTHING WAS FOUND TO INDICATE ANY PREIMPACT PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,079 hours in all; 1,956 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,434 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 26, 1988; 123 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,700 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-F1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARA
- Destination: 22G Lorain-Elyria OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 8,002 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from LFT, 18 miles away
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.