# NTSB LAX95LA054: Cessna 120, N89885, Torrance, CA, December 19, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 19, 1994, 15:53 local (23:53 UTC) - Place: Torrance, CA - Coordinates: 33.799285, -118.350738 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7993&lon=-118.3507&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 18, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28995 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA054 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28995/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA054 ## Probable cause A blockage in the carburetor heat air duct which limited the effectiveness of the system's ability to prevent the formation of carburetor ice and resulted in a loss of power. A factor in the accident was the soft nature of the recently plowed ground in the runway overrun area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions - fuel system,carburetor - ice - carburetor heat,air box - blocked(total) (cause) - carburetor heat - not possible, pilot in command - ram/induction air - blocked(total) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Overrun, landing - roll - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT SAID HE WAS PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GO PATTERN OPERATIONS AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF ON RUNWAY 29R. THE PILOT LANDED ON THE RUNWAY, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT PAVEMENT REMAINING TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER WHEN SOFT, RECENTLY PLOWED DIRT WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXAMINED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FOUND THE DUCT HOSE FROM THE HEAT BOX TO THE CARBURETOR CRIMPED, BLOCKING HOT AIR FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE PILOT SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE AS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE POWER LOSS. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT AT THE AIRPORT WERE 58 AND 51 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. REVIEW OF A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALED THAT THE NOTED TEMPERATURES WERE WITHIN AN AREA OF THE CHART ANNOTATED 'SERIOUS ICING -- CRUISE OR CLIMB POWER.' ## Factual narrative On December 19, 1994, at 1553 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 120, N89885, nosed over during a runway overrun following a rejected takeoff at the Torrance, California, airport. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated at the Torrance, California, airport on the day of the accident at 1500 hours as a local area flight. According to the pilot's oral and written statements, he was performing touch-and-go pattern operations at the Torrance airport. During the takeoff portion of the last touch-and-go, the engine lost power shortly after lift-off on runway 29R. The pilot landed on the runway, but had insufficient pavement remaining to stop the aircraft. The aircraft overran the end of the runway and nosed over when soft, recently plowed dirt was encountered. The pilot reported that he examined the engine compartment and found the duct hose from the heat box to the carburetor crimped, blocking hot air flow to the carburetor. The engine was examined with no discrepancies noted. The pilot suspected carburetor ice as the cause of the engine power loss. The temperature and dew point at the airport was 58 and 51 degrees, respectively. Review of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed that the noted temperatures were within an area of the chart annotated "serious icing -- cruise or climb power." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N89885](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N89885), registered now, S/N 8930, 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: 8930 - Airframe hours: 3434 - Engines: CONTINENTAL C-85-12 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William R. Wood - Registered owner: William R. Wood - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 22, 1994, 93 hours before - Departed: TOA, CA - Airport: TOA, Torrance Municipal, runway 29R, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 502 total, 120 in this make and model, 315 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 11 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TOA ## 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 19941219041809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941219041809A), Dec 19, 1994: Cessna 120, Torrance, CA, Substantial damage. Lost power on liftoff. Landed but overran runway. Nosed over. Carb icing and crimped intake air duct were factors. 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.