Cessna 404 accident near Boca Raton, Florida, January 17, 1990
On January 17, 1990 at about 5:09 am local time, a Cessna 404, registered N335GP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boca Raton, Florida (Boca Raton airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO A DISCONNECTED DUCT BETWEEN THE TURBOCHARGER AND THE PLENUM CHAMBER. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1990 · about 5:09 am local time
- Place
- Boca Raton, Florida · Boca Raton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 404 · all 404s on the register
- Registration
- N335GP · no longer on the register · serial 404-0009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LEVEL AFTER DESCENDING, THE RT ENG QUIT. PLT FEATHERED THE PROP, ADVISED ATC, & WAS DIVERTING TO ALTERNATE WHEN LT ENG QUIT. HE POSITIONED THE LT ENG BOOST PUMP TO HIGH & LOW WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS, BUT DID NOT FEATHER THE PROP. POSITION OF BOOST PUMPS, WHEN ENGS QUIT, WAS NOT DETERMINED. ACFT LANDED ON OVERPASS THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THERE WAS FUEL LEAKAGE AFTER ACCIDENT DUE TO ACFT DAMAGE. FUEL QUANTITY WAS SUFFICIENT. EXAM OF ACFT REVEALED RT ENG FLEXIBLE DUCT FROM TURBOCHARGER TO PLENUM CHAMBER SEPARATED DUE TO LOOSE CLAMP. HOSE WAS INSTALLED & CLUB PROP INSTALLED FOR EACH ENG RUN. BOTH ENGS OPERATED NORMALLY. INDUCTION AIR HOSE WAS PULLED DURING RT ENG RUN. ENG RAN ROUGH DUE TO EXCESSIVE RICH MIXTURE. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE FOR THE REASON OF THE LEFT ENG POWER LOSS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,487 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 1,216 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,286 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1989; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,400 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILG Wilmington DE at 11:45 pm
- Destination: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots, gusting 11
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 am from FLL, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.