# NTSB WPR25LA265: Cessna 120, N3151N, Taylor, AZ, August 24, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: August 24, 2025, 07:11 local (14:11 UTC)
- Place: Taylor, AZ
- Coordinates: 34.467277, -110.06441 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4673&lon=-110.0644&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200876
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA265
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200876/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA265

## Preliminary report

On August 24, 2025, about 0711 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 120, N3151N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Taylor, Arizona. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot dipped the fuel tanks before the flight and observed that the left tank was empty and the right tank contained about 10.5 gallons of fuel, a quantity that had previously provided about 1.5 hours of flight time with a 30 to 60 minute reserve. The right tank was selected for the entire flight. After 1 hour and 25 minutes, while on approach to land, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage. After the accident, the pilot dipped the right fuel tank and found that about 1 inch of fuel remained.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 120, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071402), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3151N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3151N), registered now, S/N 13409, built 1947 (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: 13409
- Year built: 1947
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: TYL, Taylor, runway 21, 7,001 × 75 ft

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observed at: KTYL, 1 nm away
- METAR: METAR KTYL 241515Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 22/12 A3030 RMK AO2=

## 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 20250824012559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250824012559A), Aug 24, 2025: Cessna 120, Taylor, AZ, Substantial damage. On 08/24/2025, a Cessna 120 made an off-airport landing approximately 1.5 miles from Taylor Airport. The FAA became aware of this on 08/25/2025. During…

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.