Cessna 120 accident near Bessemer, Alabama, January 1, 1993
On January 1, 1993 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N4292N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bessemer, Alabama (Bessemer 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKE OFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1993 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bessemer, Alabama · Bessemer
- 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
- N4292N · registry record · serial 13763
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A TAKEOFF WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN THE TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE WITH A 70 DEGREE LEFT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED SHE WAS USING RUNWAY 5 & THAT THE AIRPORT AWOS LISTED THE WIND AS FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 4 TO 6 KTS. THE PILOT SAID THAT AS THE TAIL CAME UP THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE VEERED A LITTLE TO THE LEFT AND ADDITIONAL RIGHT RUDDER WAS APPLIED. ACCORDING TO HER, AT THAT TIME THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUCK BY A GUST & IT WEATHERVANED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY RIGHT SIDE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.
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: 113 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,172 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1993; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2A3 at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 2A3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from BHM, 15 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.