Aeronca 7DC accident near El Paso, Texas, January 28, 1990
On January 28, 1990 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Aeronca 7DC, registered N4542E, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas (West Texas airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POWER LOSS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR ASSEMBLY AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECT KNOWN DEFICIENCIES. FACTORS WERE CONTAMINATED FUEL, PARTIALLY BLOCKED FUEL SCREEN, FOULED SPARK PLUGS, THE ROUGH TERRAIN, AND THE LACK OF SHOULDER HARNESSES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1990 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · West Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7DC · all 7DCs on the register
- Registration
- N4542E · registry record · serial 7DC-144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A GRAVEL PIT, INTENTIONALLY STALLING THE AIRPLANE TO OBTAIN THE LOWEST POSSIBLE LANDING SPEED. THE AIRPLANE HAD A STC FOR AND WAS BEING OPERATED ON AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE. RESIDUAL FUEL AND DEBRIS WERE NOTED IN THE MAIN FUEL TANK. THE FILTER SCREEN WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 20% BLOCKED BY SAN AND DEBRIS. SOME WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL. THE CARBURETOR NEEDLE VALVE WAS FOUND TO BE BINDING. IT HAD A FLAT SPOT ON ONE SIDE, ALLOWING FUEL TO FLOOD THE BOWL. THE #1 SPARK PLUG WAS INOPERATIVE. THE #3 PLUG WAS OIL SOAKED. ALL PLUGS AND THE EXHAUST PIPE HAD CARBON DEPOSITS. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AN AIRPORT WORKER STARTED THE ENGINE AND IT RAN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE IT STOPPED. NO REASON WAS GIVEN FOR THE STOPPAGE, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS INVESTIGATED FURTHER. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES.
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
- Flight time: 2,254 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,177 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX04 El Paso TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: TX04
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:51 pm from ELP, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4542E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.