# NTSB FTW95LA223: Cessna 120, N76856, College Station, TX, June 1, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 1, 1995, 13:55 local (18:55 UTC) - Place: College Station, TX - Location: 30.5880° N, 96.3625° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at EASTERWOOD FLD (CLL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5880&lon=-96.3625&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 23, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19439 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW95LA223 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19439/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA223 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A LANDING AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE TAILWIND. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Vortex turbulence encountered, landing - roll - wake turbulence - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A LANDING SAAB 340. THE PILOT STATED THAT A TWO MILE SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED WHEN HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND BEHIND THE COMMUTER AIRPLANE. WIND WAS FROM 200 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS. ## Factual narrative On June 1, 1995, at 1355 central daylight time, a Cessna 120, N76856, sustained substantial damage during landing near College Station, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. According to witnesses at the airport, the airplane was executing a touch and go landing on Runway 10 at the Easterwood Airport (CLL). The pilot made a wheel landing and was rolling on the main tires when control was lost and the airplane departed the runway to the left. The main gear tires stuck in the soft mud at the edge of the runway and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position, resulting in damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that he was cleared to follow a Saab 340 airplane to land on runway 10. The pilot estimated that he had a two mile separation behind the landing regional airliner. The pilot stated that directional control could not be maintained after encountering the wing vortex wake turbulence from the landing aircraft. He further stated that the light quartering tailwind prevailing at the time of the accident contributed to the accident. Wind was from 200 degrees at 4 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N76856](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N76856-2018-05-31), registration cancelled 2018-05-31, S/N 11290, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 120 - Registry model: [Cessna 120](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-120) (registry code 2071402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 11290 - Airframe hours: 4050 - Engines: CONTINENTAL C85-12F 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Moorad, Bruce M. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 14, 1995, 106 hours before - Departed: EYQ, HOUSTON, TX - Destination: CLL - Airport: CLL, Easterwood, runway 10, 5,160 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,094 total, 55 in this make and model, 4,040 as pilot in command, 107 in the last 90 days, 39 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: CLL, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950601014319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950601014319A), Jun 1, 1995: Cessna 120, College Station, TX, Substantial damage. Lost directional control landing behind airliner. Exited runway into mud. Nosed over. Blamed wake turbulence. ## Other investigations on N76856 (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB WPR14FA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA132), Mar 9, 2014: Cessna 120 (N76856), Carson City, NV, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s delayed decision to initiate a course-reversal turn when the airplane was unable to attain sufficient altitude to cross a mountain range, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.