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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1992 · about 4:10 pm local time · cases in 1992
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Ellington Field · cases near this airport · 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 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N910E on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna Ector 305 20 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna Ector 20 aircraft on the register
- N6438C on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Stinson L-5 125 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stinson 1,728 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A4B5 2 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-C 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ellington Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,062 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,979 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW93LA003.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.