NTSB LAX91LA102 — 1991-02-17 · WATSONVILLE, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N9048

Make / Model: TRAVEL AIR E-4000
Year of manufacture: 1928 · 63 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR R670-SERIES (225 hp)
Seats / Engines: 3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19720711
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AC8178

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N9048 Curtiss-Wright E-4000 None

Probable cause & findings

THE INADEQUATE DESIGN AND LENGTH OF THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY CABLE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE AND TAXIED OFF THE RUNWAY WHEN SMOKE EMANATED FROM THE LOWER RIGHT FRONT AREA BENEATH THE ELECTRICAL JUNCTION BOX. THE PILOT STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND HE AND THE PASSENGERS IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AIRPLANE. MOMENTS LATER FLAMES CONSUMED THE FABRIC COVERED AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THAT THE STAINLESS STEEL TAILWHEEL ASSY CABLE CONTAINED CONSIDERABLE SLACK WHICH ALLOWED IT TO CONTACT THE ELECTRICAL JUNCTION BOX DURING A TURN. THIS INADEQUATE DESIGN AND ROUTING CAUSED IT TO FUSE AND SHORT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE SLACK IS NOT NOTICEABLE WHEN THE TAILWHEEL IS NOT TURNED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91LA102.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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