Cessna 120 accident near Morristown, Tennessee, July 16, 2009
On July 16, 2009 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N7227E, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Morristown, Tennessee. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2009 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Morristown, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N7227E · no longer on the register · serial 9454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An adequate quantity of fuel was on-board at the beginning of the instructional flight. No discrepancies were reported during the preflight inspection or engine run-up. After takeoff, the student pilot performed airwork, then flew to a nearby airport where he performed a low pass over the runway. At the completion of the low pass, he applied power to climb, but the engine "popped" and experienced a loss of power. The flight instructor took the controls and maneuvered the airplane to a golf course and landed on a fairway. During the landing roll, the airplane rolled onto an area of vegetation and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Postaccident fuel leakage was noted from both fuel tanks and the carburetor was broken off from its attach point to the engine. All engine controls remained attached to the carburetor. Only a cursory examination of the engine was performed and no discrepancies were noted that would have precluded engine operation.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 27,250 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 14,150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,547 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3A2 Tazewell TN at 3:50 pm
- Destination: 3A2 Tazewell TN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from 1A6, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.