- Date
- January 20, 1992, 16:02 local (Jan 21, 1992, 00:02 UTC)
- Place
- Sonoma, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3010NCessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920120000739A
- Case key
- 27540
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
Engine failure due to a binding mixture control shaft. The binding mixture control shaft was the result of inadequate maintenance which allowed the accumulation of moisture and water in the carburetor to remain for an extended period of time causing rust and corrosion. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable nature of the terrain for the forced landing attempt.
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
The pilot and passenger departed for a local flight to practice landings. At about 200 to 300 feet AGL on the crosswind leg, the engine quit. An attempt to restart the engine failed and the pilot landed the aircraft in a pasture which was sloped, rough and had a dry creek bed in it. Upon reaching the creek bed, the airplane nosed over. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the carburetor mixture control linkage was frozen and would not respond to movement of the cockpit control. Disassembly of the carburetor revealed evidence of moisture and water contamination, accumulated over an extended period of time, which caused rust, corrosion and binding of the mixture control shaft in the lean to near idle cutoff position. Examination of the engine records revealed that the last time the carburetor was overhauled was about June 2, 1983, while installed in an experimental aircraft. The engine was installed in the accident aircraft on may 17, 1991, after accumulating about 132 hours in about 8 years and 6 months. The manufacturer recommends that the carburetor be overhauled every 5 calender years.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3010N
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13268
- Airframe hours
- 7,777
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Andrew J. Bowe, Jr
- Registered owner
- Andrew J. Bowe, Sr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 17, 1991 · 71 hours before
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
- 18
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 442 total · 18 in this make and model · 363 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.