Cessna Ector 305A and Stinson L-5 accident near Houston, Texas, October 3, 1992
On October 3, 1992 at about 4:10 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna Ector 305A (N910E) and Stinson L-5 (N6438C), were involved in the same accident near Houston, Texas (Ellington Field). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP. FACTORS WERE THE LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE INABILITY OF THE OTHER PILOT TO SEE THIS AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT'S INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP. FACTORS WERE THE LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THIS PILOT'S INABILITY TO SEE THE OTHER AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1992 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Ellington Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna Ector 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N910E · registry record · serial 305A-2038
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Stinson L-5 · all L-5s on the register
- Registration
- N6438C · registry record · serial 1428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna Ector 305A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA ECTOR 305A, N910E, WAS THE NUMBER 2 AIRCRAFT AND THE STINSON L 5, N6438C, WAS THE NUMBER 3 AIRCRAFT IN A FOUR SHIP FLIGHT THAT WAS LANDING IN STAGGERED TRAIL FORMATION FOLLOWING AN AIR SHOW PERFORMANCE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ECTOR 305A, WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE AS PER THE BRIEFING, GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST IN THE PATH OF THE STINSON L 5 WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT OF THE STINSON STATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ECTOR 305A AS HE LOWERED THE TAIL OF HIS AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND OF BETWEEN 4 AND 10 KNOTS.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Stinson L-5 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STINSON L 5, N6438C, WAS THE NUMBER 3 AIRCRAFT AND THE CESSNA ECTOR 305A, N910E, WAS THE NUMBER 2 AIRCRAFT IN A FOUR SHIP FLIGHT THAT WAS LANDING IN STAGGERED TRAIL FORMATION FOLLOWING AN AIR SHOW PERFORMANCE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ECTOR 305A, WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE AS PER THE BRIEFING, GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST IN THE PATH OF THE STINSON L 5 WHICH HAD LANDED ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT OF THE STINSON STATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ECTOR 305A AS HE LOWERED THE TAIL OF HIS AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND OF BETWEEN 4 AND 10 KNOTS.
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 for the Cessna Ector 305A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 187 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1992; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EFD at 3:55 pm
- Destination: EFD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Stinson L-5 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 572 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,795 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alamo Liaison Group, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: EFD at 4:05 pm
- Destination: EFD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 FTW93LA003.