Cessna 120 accident near Marlton, New Jersey, June 21, 1986
On June 21, 1986 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N89789, was destroyed in an accident near Marlton, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1986 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Marlton, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N89789 · no longer on the register · serial 8838
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 10 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED WHILE THE PLTS WERE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, AEROBATICS WERE BEING PERFORMED AT AN ABOUT 500 FT AGL. THEY RPRTD THAT THE PLTS HAD MADE AN OVERHEAD MANEUVER (LOOP) & WERE RECOVERING FROM A DSCNT WHEN THE ACFT HIT THE TREES. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE LEFT SEAT OCCUPANT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.246% & THE RGT SEAT OCCUPANT'S BLOOD/ALCOLOL LVL WAS 0.218%. THE ACFT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR AEROBATIC FLT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,098 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 1985; 121 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 16N Berlin NJ at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from PHL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.