Daytona Beach - DeLand

On May 28, 1990 at 08:03 AM, Daytona Beach - DeLand experienced a crash involving Cessna 303 Crusader, operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with the event recorded near DeLand Florida.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. During an NDB approach in instrument conditions with the landing gear extended, the fire warning light for the right engine illuminated. The right engine was shut down and a missed approach was initiated; however, the landing gear would not retract and the aircraft would not maintain altitude. As it descended into the top of an overcast at an altitude of about 600 feet, the pilots tried to restart the engine, but to no avail. Subsequently, the aircraft descended below the clouds at an altitude of about 150 feet to 170 feet. As the instructor (cfi) landed the aircraft in an open field, the nose gear encountered soft dirt and the aircraft nosed over. An exam revealed that an electrical power jumper wire between 2 bus bars had become chafed and shorted. The left and right isolation circuit breakers and the bus tie circuit breaker were found in the tripped (open) position. This resulted in a false fire warning light and prevented the landing gear from being retracted.

Aircraft reference details include registration N4973V, MSN 303-00285, year of manufacture 1984.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 29.0281°, -81.3034°.