Ryan NAVION A accident near Denison, Texas, April 29, 1990
On April 29, 1990 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION A, registered N4442K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denison, Texas (Kidd-Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF WITH CONDITIONS IN EXCESS OF THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE UPHILL RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1990 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Denison, Texas · Kidd-Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N4442K · registry record · serial NAV-4-1442
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DAY WAS HOT AND HUMID. FIELD ELEVATION WAS 705 FEET. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 2,700 FEET. THERE WAS A LIGHT WIND FROM THE NORTH, AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF UPHILL, TO THE NORTH. THE GRASS RUNWAY HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD SEVERAL DAYS OF HEAVY RAIN, BUT THE WEATHER HAD BEEN CLEAR FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE PILOT SAID HE LIFTED OFF EARLY BUT CONTROL WAS MUSHY SO HE PUT THE NOSE DOWN, AND THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY. PILOT KEPT THE NOSE DOWN TO ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO GET OVER THE TREES. PILOT LIFTED THE AIRPLANE OFF AT THE LAST MOMENT, BUT THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE. THE AIRPLANE ROTATED 180 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND ENTERED THE WOODED AREA TAIL FIRST. IMPACT TREES WERE 200 FEET PAST THE END OF THE 2,000 FOOT RUNWAY.
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: 1,181 hours in all; 841 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,131 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,321 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1989; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX12 at 9:50 pm
- Destination: F67 Arlington TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from F39, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.