Cessna T303 accident near Deland, Florida, May 28, 1990
On May 28, 1990 at about 12:03 pm local time, a Cessna T303, registered N4973V, was destroyed in an accident near Deland, Florida (Deland Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CHAFED AND SHORTED ELECTRICAL WIRING BETWEEN BUS BARS, WHICH CAUSED A PARTIAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE, RESULTED IN A FALSE FIRE WARNING INDICATION, AND PREVENTED THE RESTART OF THE RIGHT ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1990 · about 12:03 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T303 · all T303s on the register
- Registration
- N4973V · no longer on the register · serial T30300285
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN NDB APCH IN INSTRUMENT CONDS WITH THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED, THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE RGT ENG ILLUMINATED. THE RGT ENG WAS SHUT DOWN & A MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED; HOWEVER, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT & THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT. AS IT DSCNDD INTO THE TOP OF AN OVERCAST AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 600', THE PLTS TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT TO NO AVAIL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD BELOW THE CLOUDS AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 150' TO 170'. AS THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) LANDED THE ACFT IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE NOSE GEAR ENCOUNTERED SOFT DIRT & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT AN ELECTRICAL POWER JUMPER WIRE BETWEEN 2 BUS BARS HAD BECOME CHAFED & SHORTED. THE LEFT & RGT ISOLATION CIRCUIT BREAKERS & THE BUSS TIE CIRCUIT BREAKER WERE FOUND IN THE TRIPPED (OPEN) POSITION. THIS RESULTED IN A FALSE FIRE WARNING LIGHT & PREVENTED THE LANDING GEAR FROM BEING RETRACTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,520 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,340 as pilot in command; 930 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,542 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 17, 1990; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,175 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental LTSIO-520-AE (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 11:15 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 6,003 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 150 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:31 pm from DAB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.