Cessna 320 accident near Center, Texas, August 30, 1990
On August 30, 1990 at about 4:17 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N377S, was destroyed in an accident near Center, Texas (Center airport). It was a personal 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC) AND LACK OF QUALIFICATION/TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE TURBOCHARGER, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1990 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Center, Texas · Center · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N377S · registry record · serial 320-0057
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAY VMC DEPARTURE FROM AN ESTABLISHED AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO A TURBOCHARGER FAILURE. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO AN INVERTED POSITION AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLABLY TO GROUND IMPACT. THE PILOT/OWNER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE PILOT WAS CERTIFICATED FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND ONLY AND HAD NO KNOWN TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANES.
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: 750 hours in all
- 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: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: F17 Center TX at 4:17 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,010 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:52 pm from LFK, 43 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.