# NTSB investigations: Cessna 120: Loss of control on ground

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA323.md): Cessna 120 · Llano, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open · Sep 23, 2026 · N1888N · Substantial damage
- [NTSB WPR26LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA106.md): Cessna 120 · Kneeland, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 20, 2026 · N72904 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing roll on a snow-covered runway.
- [NTSB ERA25LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA140.md): Cessna 120 · Arcadia, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 28, 2025 · N3080N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing.
- [NTSB WPR22LA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA336.md): Cessna 120 · Scappoose, OR · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 5, 2022 · N77257 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while taxing in gusty wind conditions.
- [NTSB CEN22LA358](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA358.md): Cessna 120 · Mecosta, MI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 30, 2022 · N2902N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to depart on inadequate runway surface conditions that resulted in a loss of control after attempting to abort the takeoff, a runway excursion, and a nose over.
- [NTSB CEN20CA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA317.md): Cessna 120 · Osceola, WI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jul 17, 2020 · N1926N · Substantial damage
  > The pilots did not maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
- [NTSB CEN20CA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA182.md): Cessna 120 · Chatham, IL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · May 15, 2020 · N120MZ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to continue flight in instrument meteorological conditions in an airplane not equipped for instrument flight, which forced her to perform a precautionary landing to a muddy field resulting in the airplane nosing over.
- [NTSB CEN19LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA046.md): Cessna 120 · Beaumont, KS · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 15, 2018 · N2496N · Substantial damage
  > The right brake being locked during the landing roll on the turf runway for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations, which resulted in a noseover.
- [NTSB CEN18CA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18CA185.md): Cessna 120 · Harlan, IA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 16, 2018 · N77273 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s late go-around during a bounced landing, which led to an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB GAA18CA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA027.md): Cessna 120 · New Bern, NC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 21, 2017 · N72552 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during landing.
- [NTSB GAA17CA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA156.md): Cessna 120 · Orange, MA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 24, 2017 · N77116 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
- [NTSB GAA17CA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA071.md): Cessna 120 · Lincoln, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 14, 2016 · N120MD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
- [NTSB GAA16LA525](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA525.md): Cessna 120 · Davis, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 18, 2016 · N76284 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and noseover. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the seatbelt anchor bracket.
- [NTSB GAA16CA412](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA412.md): Cessna 120 · Belen, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 3, 2016 · N72580 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and a ground loop.
- [NTSB GAA16CA304](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA304.md): Cessna 120 · Climax, NC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 10, 2016 · N77216 · Substantial damage
  > An evasive maneuver during the landing roll to avoid deer on the runway, which resulted in a runway excursion and a nose over. Contributing to the accident was the lack of an airport perimeter fence.
- [NTSB GAA16CA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA024.md): Cessna 120 · McKinney, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 17, 2015 · N2099V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's use of excessive brake input during the recovery from the ground loop, which resulted in a nose over.
- [NTSB WPR14CA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA192.md): Cessna 120 · Colville, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 15, 2014 · N2642N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
- [NTSB ANC14CA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA024.md): Cessna 120 · Fairbanks, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 28, 2014 · N77336 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of directional control during landing, resulting in a ground loop.
- [NTSB CEN11CA644](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA644.md): Cessna 120 · Camden, AR · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 12, 2011 · N89954 · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's inadvertent braking during taxi.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2071402')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '230' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence?model=2071402

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