Cessna 120 accident near Chatham, Illinois, May 15, 2020
On May 15, 2020 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1946 Cessna 120, registered N120MZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Chatham, Illinois. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue flight in instrument meteorological conditions in an airplane not equipped for instrument flight, which forced her to perform a precautionary landing to a muddy field resulting in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2020 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Chatham, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 No Series, built 1946 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N120MZ · registry record · serial 9226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight at 5,500 ft mean sea level (MSL) above a cloud layer, and the airplane was not equipped with an attitude indicator or flight instruments to operate in instrument meteorological conditions. According to the pilot, the weather was forecast VFR at her destination. While en route, a cloud layer above her started lowering, so she descended to 5,000 ft MSL. The pilot could see blue sky between the layers when the two layers started to come together and then she inadvertently entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The pilot transitioned to an "inside instrument scan", turned on carburetor heat, and added full power to attempt to climb to find VFR conditions. After climbing 300 to 500 ft and about 5 minutes after entering the clouds, the pilot noticed a right turn had developed as confirmed on the heading indicator and her electronic flight device. The right turn became tighter, and the pilot recognized she was disoriented, and the airplane was descending. She elected to perform corrective action for a nose low unusual attitude and attempted to descend to visual flight conditions. The airplane broke out of the clouds about 1,500 ft above the ground (AGL) in a 25° to 30° right bank and 10° to 15° nose low attitude. The pilot recovered to level flight and added full power. The airplane would not accelerate above 60 to 65 knots in level flight and the pilot felt the rudder was ineffective. The pilot elected to conduct a precautionary landing to nearby field that was muddy due to recent rains. During the landing, the airplane flipped over when the wheels dug into the ground. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, and both wings sustained substantial damage. Examination of the airplane revealed flight control continuity to all flight control surfaces. The pilot reported that the airplane was operating normally prior to entering IMC conditions..
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
- Loss of visual reference during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Ability to respond/compensate
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,868 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 1,178 as pilot in command; 580 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 7, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 2019; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,451 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 SERIES (piston); 2,476 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 St Louis MO
- Destination: 06C Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 31, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.