Amateur-built LONGEZ accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, March 18, 1990
On March 18, 1990 at about 10:38 pm local time, a amateur-built LONGEZ, registered N83TS, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted airport). It was a personal flight 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
THE FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY SECURE THE CARBURETOR THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1990 · about 10:38 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONGEZ
- Registration
- N83TS · no longer on the register · serial 1982-L
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT/BUILDER INSTALLED NEW CARBURETOR 3 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE ACCIDENT. THE CLAMP WHICH HOLDS THE CARBURETOR THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING WAS NOT FULLY TIGHTENED. THE HOUSING SLIPPED IN THE CLAMP NOT ALLOWING FULL THROTTLE CABLE MOVEMENT AND THUS THE INABILITY TO COMMAND FULL ENGINE POWER.
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: 624 hours in all; 605 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,865 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:40 pm from SPG
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.
Other NTSB records under N83TS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.