Beech 76 accident near Boca Raton, Florida, March 7, 1990
On March 7, 1990 at about 2:14 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N330AC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boca Raton, Florida (Boca Raton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1990 · about 2:14 pm local time
- Place
- Boca Raton, Florida · Boca Raton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N330AC · registry record · serial M229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 150 FEET, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A DROP TO 30 PSI ON THE RIGHT ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE GAUGE. WHILE TURNING FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, HE SECURED THE RIGHT ENGINE AND MOVED THE LEFT ENGINE THROTTLE AND PROP CONTROL TO MAXIMUM POWER AND RPM. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND SELECTED A FORCE LANDING AREA IN A VACANT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING TANK WAS RUPTURED BY SCRUB BUSHES AND TREES. BOTH ENGINES OPERATED NORMALLY DURING POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE RUNS.
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: 6,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,385 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Storm Warming LTD
The flight
- Departed from: BCT Boca Raton FL
- Destination: MTTP Port Au Prince OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:18 pm from PBI, 41 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.