Cessna 120 accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, November 29, 1991
On November 29, 1991 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N1906N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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. A FACTOR WAS THE TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1991 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N1906N · registry record · serial 12150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS AND ON THE FOURTH LANDING SHE ATTEMPTED A WHEEL LANDING. AS SHE SLOWED DOWN DURING THE LANDING ROLL, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BECAME DIFFICULT. THE SLOWER THE SPEED, THE LESS EFFICIENT THE RUDDER BECAME, SO THE PILOT USED BRAKES TO STEER THE AIRPLANE. THE COMBINATION OF BRAKES AND TAILWIND RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE NOSING OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 930 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command; 460 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1991; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.