Amateur-built ONE DESIGN accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, January 14, 1990
On January 14, 1990 at about 9:25 pm local time, a amateur-built ONE DESIGN, registered N60RC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE THE FUEL VENT BEING BLOCKED BY A MUD DAUBER NEST AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FIND THE OBSTRUCTION (INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT) BEFORE TAKING OFF. TREES BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY WERE A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1990 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Spruce Creek
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ONE DESIGN
- Registration
- N60RC · registry record · serial 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT/OWNER OF THE NEW HOME BUILT ACFT MADE SVRL TAXI CHECKS BEFORE THE 1ST FLT. CHECKS WERE MADE WITH THE NOSEWHEEL OFF THE RWY & A LIFT-OFF TO ABOUT 10 FT AGL. DURING TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE OVERRUN AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY, BUT THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING AGAIN, SO HE ELECTED TO CONT THE TAKEOFF & RETURN TO THE RWY FOR LANDING. HOWEVER, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN & THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN TREES BEYOND THE DEP END OF THE RWY. A POST-ACDNT EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL VENT WAS BLOCKED BY A MUD DAUBER NEST.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:53 pm from DAB, 6 miles away
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.
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.