Cessna 120 accident near St Peter, Minnesota, October 12, 1988
On October 12, 1988 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N2081V, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Peter, Minnesota (St Peter Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- October 12, 1988 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- St Peter, Minnesota · St Peter Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N2081V · registry record · serial 14314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD INTENDED TO MAKE A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING ON A GRASS STRIP, BUT STATED THAT HE CAME IN 'SOMEWHAT HIGH.' HE RPRTD THE ACFT WAS STILL AIRBORNE ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RWY WHEN HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER, BUT THE ENG 'SPUTTERED & DIED.' THE PLT SAID HE FORCED THE MAIN GEAR ONTO THE RWY & APPLIED BRAKES, BUT WITHIN SECONDS, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AFTER THE ACDNT, AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL HAD BROKEN OFF AT THE AXLE, THEN THE LEFT STRUT DUG INTO THE GROUND & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN THE ACFT WAS ON FINAL APCH, HE HAD MOVED THE CARBURETOR HEAT TO OFF. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 43 & 26 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR CARB ICE. EXCEPT FOR SOOT IN THE EXHAUST STACKS & ON THE SPARK PLUGS, NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-ACDNT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,016 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 195 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 1,440 as pilot in command; 984 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1988; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 2:20 pm
- Destination: 56Y
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MKT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.