Cessna 414A accident near Jackson, Wyoming, October 17, 1990
On October 17, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N26853, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson, Wyoming (Jackson Hole airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION OF THE AIRCRAFT, HIS FAILURE TO REMOVE SNOW AND ICE FROM THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE TAKEOFF, AND HIS DELAY IN ATTEMPTING TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Wyoming · Jackson Hole · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N26853 · no longer on the register · serial 414A0316
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF WITH SNOW AND ICE ON THE ACFT. DURING TAKEOFF ROLL THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE, SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE ACFT DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, IMPACTED NAVIGATION ANTENNAS AND ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,392 hours in all; 1,095 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1990; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB5B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,299 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from JAC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.