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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

January 21, 1992 · Cessna 120 · N3010N

Sonoma, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 21, 1992
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Sonoma, CA
Aircraft
Cessna 120
Tail Number
N3010N
Operator
Andrew J Bowe Jr
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX92LA097

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 calendar years.

NTSB 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.

Full Narrative

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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:02 PST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 120
Tail NumberN3010N
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorAndrew J Bowe Jr
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · C-90-12F · Reciprocating · 90
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 18 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind120° @ 4 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingOvercast 5000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point50 / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data