Piper PA-30 accident near Delray Beach, Florida, July 28, 1990
On July 28, 1990 at about 9:40 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N3R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delray Beach, Florida (Antiquers Aerodrome 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 LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING THE REPORTED LOSS OF POWER FROM THE LEFT ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1990 · about 9:40 am local time
- Place
- Delray Beach, Florida · Antiquers Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N3R · no longer on the register · serial 30-236
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT & THE ACFT WAS LEFT OUTSIDE. DURING THE PREFLT, THE PLT DRAINED EACH FUEL TANK FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS USING THE COCKPIT DRAIN BUT A CONTAINER WAS NOT USED. ENG RUNUP PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WAS NORMAL. AFTER ROTATION, ACFT YAWED TO THE LT. HE APPLIED RT RUDDER BUT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES, A POWERLINE, THEN THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO FIRE. FIRE DEPT PERSONNEL TURNED OFF THE FUEL SELECTORS WHICH WERE POSITIONED FROM EACH MAIN TANK TO ENG. FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED & NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHETHER THERE WERE CONTAMINANTS. LT ENG GASCOLATOR WAS CLEAN BUT RT ENG GASCOLATOR CONTAINED SEDIMENT. EXAM OF THE LT ENG REVEALED THE LT MAG WAS NOT CORRECTLY TIMED TO THE ENG BUT THE RT MAG WAS. BOTH MAGNETOS WERE TESTED & OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FUEL SERVO, DISTRIBUTOR VALVE, NOZZLES & LINES WERE REMOVED FOR TESTING & OPERATED NORMALLY. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE REPORTED LOSS OF ENG PWR FROM THE LT ENG.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,270 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 14,800 as pilot in command; 225 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,434 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1990; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BCT Boca Raton FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from PBI, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N3R 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.