Aerospatiale/Socata TB-10 accident near Ada, Oklahoma, August 21, 1990
On August 21, 1990 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Aerospatiale/Socata TB-10, registered N20AZ, was destroyed in an accident near Ada, Oklahoma (Ada Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR A CLIMB PROFILE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT ALLOWED THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO EXCEED THE CERTIFIED LIMITS, HIS USE OF EXCESSIVE FLAPS AND IMPROPER LEANING OF THE MIXTURE FOR TAKEOFF, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1990 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ada, Oklahoma · Ada Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale/Socata TB-10
- Registration
- N20AZ · registry record · serial 484
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF FROM THE RUNWAY ABRUPTLY, BUT IT NEVER GAIN MORE THAN ABOUT 50 TO 75 FT OF ALTITUDE, THOUGH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WAS MAINTAINED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THEY SAW BLACK & THEN GREY SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 97 DEGREES & THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 3500 FEET. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS OVERLOADED BY 228 LBS & THAT THE C.G. WAS ABOUT 0.69 INCHES AFT OF THE AFT LIMIT. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND EXTENDED ABOUT 25 DEGREES; THE RECOMMENDED FLAP SETTING FOR TAKEOFF WAS 15 DEGREES.
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: 199 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 137 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1990; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ADH at 9:48 pm
- Destination: LIT Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from ADA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW90FA160.