Cessna 120 N2146N

Summary

On 3 July 2000 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 120 registered N2146N was involved in an accident near Toston, Montana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 July 2000 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Toston, Montana, United States

Coordinates

46.1692, -111.5099

Aircraft

Cessna 120

Registration

N2146N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Helena → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA126

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude to avoid contact with the ground. Contributing factors were the downdraft conditions and the fence post.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported in a telephonic interview that he and his son were on a local sightseeing flight operating approximately 1,000 feet above ground when the aircraft encountered a strong downdraft. Concerned that the aircraft might make contact with terrain, the pilot maneuvered over a dirt road. Although the pilot reported no mechanical problem with the aircraft or its powerplant, the aircraft continued to descend until touchdown on the road. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear and right wing impacted a fence post and the right wheel separated from the strut. The aircraft then veered right off the road nosing over as it passed into a ditch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.