Cessna 120 accident near Wadsworth, Ohio, May 27, 2014
On May 27, 2014 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1946 Cessna 120, registered N2774N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wadsworth, Ohio (Weltzien Skypark airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2014 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wadsworth, Ohio · Weltzien Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 NO SERIES, built 1946 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N2774N · no longer on the register · serial 12020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot reported the student had approximately 30 hours of prior flight time in the accident airplane. The instructor and student were practicing tail wheel landings. On the third landing, the student touched down normally. During rollout, the instructor advised the student to lower the tail to eliminate tail rudder effectiveness. At that time, the student applied brakes causing the airplane to skid off the right side of the runway. The airplane overturned and came to rest inverted approximately 4 feet of the runway edge. A post-accident examination revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and vertical stabilizer. In the instructor's written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board he noted that the accident might have been prevented if he taught breaking effectiveness to lift the tail during high speed taxiing instead of during landings.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,300 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 9,200 as pilot in command; 8,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 24, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 985 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 904 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 14, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,911 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,451 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skypark INC
The flight
- Departed from: 15G Wadsworth OH
- Destination: 15G Wadsworth OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,410 ft by 37 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from BJJ, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.