- Date
- January 1, 1993, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bessemer, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4292NCessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930101034549A
- Case key
- 8720
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during take off.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
A takeoff was being conducted in the tailwheel airplane with a 70 degree left crosswind. The pilot stated she was using runway 5 & that the airport AWOS listed the wind as from the northwest at 4 to 6 KTS. The pilot said that as the tail came up the nose of the airplane veered a little to the left and additional right rudder was applied. According to her, at that time the airplane was struck by a gust & it weathervaned sharply to the right. The airplane departed the runway right side and collided with the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4292N
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13763
- Airframe hours
- 6,172
- Engine
- Continental C90-12, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wood, David E.
- Registered owner
- Wood, David E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 18, 1993 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- 2A3
- Destination
- 2A3
- Airport
- 2A3 · Bessemer, runway 5, 5,700 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 113 total · 69 in this make and model · 44 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.