Cessna 404 accident near San Angelo, Texas, July 8, 1990
On July 8, 1990 at about 5:36 pm local time, a Cessna 404, registered N6239G, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Angelo, Texas (Mathis Field). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER USE OF POWERPLANT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PIC'S INADEQUATE CREW COORDINATION, AND THE EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND RATE OF DESCENT THAT RESULTED, WHEN THE PIC MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON COURSE AND GLIDE PATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1990 · about 5:36 pm local time
- Place
- San Angelo, Texas · Mathis Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 404 · all 404s on the register
- Registration
- N6239G · no longer on the register · serial 404-0229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FM 9500' MSL AT 35 DME, COPLT (SIC) BGN (HOODED TYPE) ILS RWY 3 APCH WITH 14 TO 22 KT TAILWIND. HE PLANNED NOT TO EXCEED500'/MIN RATE OF DSCNT TO AVOID SUPERCOOLING ENGS. PIC RPRTD ACFT WAS OFF COURSE & ABT 1500' HI AS IT APCHD OM. HE TOOK CTL & MNVRD ACFT ON COURSE & GP, THEN RTRND CTL TO SIC TO CONT ILS. DRG MNVR, 2500'/MIN DSCNT OCCURRED; SPD INCRD 31 KT.AS APCH CONTD, PIC EXTDD GEAR & FLAPS. AS ACFT SLOWED & BGN SETTLING, SIC ADVND THROTTLES, BUT ENGS DIDN'T RESPOND. PIC TOOK CTL & BOTH PLTS MANIPULATED ENG CTLS, BUT PWR WASN'T RESTORED. RECALLATIONS DIFFERED; NEITHER PLT COULD RECALL ENG INST INDCNS. GEAR COLLAPSED AS ACFT CTCD GND SHORT OF RWY & SLID THRU FENCE. MIX CTLS WERE FND ABT 4 TO 5 'CLICKS' AFT OF FULL FWD PSN, THROTTLES FND AT ABT 3/4 FWD PSN; ABT 80 GAL OF FUEL FND IN WING TANKS. INV REVEALED SERIES OF MAINT WRITE-UPS NOTING ENGS HAD RUN RICH & ROUGH, BUT NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. ENGS OPNLY CHECKED OK.REAR SEAT PAX THOUGHT PIC PULLED PROP CTLS 'DOWN' & BACK FWD. GND WITNESS RPRTD SOUND AS IF 'PROP REVERSERS REVVED UP.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,363 hours in all; 169 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 4,460 as pilot in command; 422 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,885 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 3, 1990; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,400 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-M2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT at 3:20 pm
- Destination: SJT
- Runway 3, 5,939 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from SJT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.