Erco 415 accident near Titusville, Florida, September 26, 1990
On September 26, 1990 at about 4:09 pm local time, a Erco 415, registered N93410, was substantially damaged in an accident near Titusville, Florida (Arthur Dunn Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FOREIGN OBJECT OBSTRUCTION OF THE INLET OF THE CARBURETOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1990 · about 4:09 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Arthur Dunn Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Erco 415 · all 415s on the register
- Registration
- N93410 · no longer on the register · serial 733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE ENG START & RUN UP WERE NORMAL. DURING THE GROUND ROLL TO TAKEOFF, THE ACFT ACCELERATED NORMALLY BUT AFTER ROTATION AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE ENG RPM DROPPED FROM 2,600 TO 2,200. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING PUFFS OF BLACK SMOKE TRAILING THE ACFT. THE PLT INITIATED A TURN TO RETURN TO THE ARPT BUT THE ENG RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE. HE THEN ROLLED WINGS LEVEL & THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE THEN THE GROUND. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER WAS DUE TO A FOREIGN OBJECT OBSTRUCTING THE INLET OF THE CARBURETOR.
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: 1,487 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,399 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1990; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from TIX, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.