Cessna 120 N120MK

Summary

On 18 October 1991 at about 22:31 local time, a Cessna 120 registered N120MK, operated by Kaplan Michael A, was involved in an accident near Olancha, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 1991 at 22:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Olancha, California, United States

Coordinates

36.2603, -117.9499

Aircraft

Cessna 120

Registration

N120MK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Kaplan Michael A

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Van Nuys → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA019

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S POOR APPROACH PLANNING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED CONTROLLED FLIGHT AND HIT THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A SMALL FIELD ABOUT 120 YARDS WIDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ENTERING A LEFT TURN ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO THE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE'S SPEED WAS DESCRIBED AS SLOW. THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH DOWN RAPIDLY. ANOTHER PILOT INDICATED HE SAW THE AIRPLANE STALL. THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 5,600 ABOVE SEA LEVEL, AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ESTIMATED AS 85 DEG F.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.