Cessna 120 accident near Pinebluff, North Carolina, April 6, 1991
On April 6, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N46GB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pinebluff, North Carolina (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CALCULATE THE AIRCRAFT'S PERFORMANCE FOR THE EXISTING CONDITIONS WAS A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pinebluff, North Carolina · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N46GB · registry record · serial 11991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE SOD AIRFIELD, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE AT THE POINT AT WHICH HE HAD BECOME ACCUSTOMED. HE ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE PROPELLER HIT THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ON THE RUNWAY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT CALCULATED THE PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WHICH EXISTED AT THE TIME.
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: 159 hours in all; 36 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Observation at 6:47 pm from FAY, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.