20160803012769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 120 · Belen, NM · August 3, 2016

Date: August 3, 2016 · 07:45 local
Place: Belen, NM
Airport: Alexander Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N72580
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA412
Reported as: Cessna 120
Reported engine: Continental C85 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,000 total1 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N72580Registration cancelled Jan 6, 2020 · Cessna 120S/N 9750 · Built 1946 Airframe modelCessna 120 Engine modelContinental C85 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On August 3, 2016, at 0745 MDT, a Cessna 120, N72580, ground looped on landing at Alexander Municipal Airport (E80), Belen, new Mexico, while on a familiarization flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the airline transport pilot was not injured. The flight originated at mid valley airpark (E98), los lunas, new Mexico, on August 3, 2016, at 0700 MDT.

As the FAA filed it

ON AUGUST 3, 2016, AT 0745 MDT, A CESSNA 120, N72580, GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING AT ALEXANDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (E80), BELEN, NEW MEXICO, WHILE ON A FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT MID VALLEY AIRPARK (E98), LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO, ON AUGUST 3, 2016, AT 0700 MDT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA16CA412Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBelen, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and a ground loop.Aug 3, 2016 · Substantial damage