- Date
- May 23, 2020, 19:00 local (May 24, 2020, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gulkana, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N72536Cessna 120
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200523006669A
- Case key
- 101374
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during final approach to landing, and his subsequent failure to attain sufficient altitude to clear trees during an attempted go-around.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while landing at an unimproved airstrip, his airspeed on final approach was too fast, and he decided to perform a go-around. During the go-around, the left main tire struck trees at the departure end of the airstrip and the airplane subsequently descended into the brush and trees. The right wing and right elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had been more aware of his limitations and the airplane's performance limitations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72536
- Reported as
- Cessna 120 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9706
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 5,963
- Engine
- Continental C85- 12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 18, 2020
- Departed
- GKN · Gulkana, AK
- Destination
- Gulkana, AK
- Airport
- runway N, 800 × 80 ft, dirt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 198.3 total · 178.6 in this make and model · 16.7 in the last 90 days · 6.5 in the last 30 days · 3.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.51 inHg
- Observed at
- PAGK, 17 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N72536 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.