New Smyrna Beach Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Smyrna Bch, Florida 32168
Saturday, December 29, 1990 16:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT/MECHANIC REVERSAL OF THE AILERON CONTROL CABLES ON THE LOWER AILERON SPROCKET DURING INSTALLATION RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL IN VFR CONDITIONS ON TAKEOFF, UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT/MECHANIC SUSTAINED SERIOUS THERMAL INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND/MECHANIC REVERSAL OF THE AILERON CONTROL CABLES ON THE SPROCKET DURING INSTALLATION. THIS RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL ON TAKEOFF, UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEW SMYRNA BCH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32168
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEW SMYRNA BEACH MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 34J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 12
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1981
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44536
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4808B
NTSB Number MIA91FA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310
Aircraft Series Identifier 310
Aircraft Serial Number 55108
Certified Max Gross Weight 4600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED A. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1612 WOODCREST DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DAYONA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKIPPER A. GATLIN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 598
Operator City WALLER
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77484
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1559
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4235
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --