Cessna 120 accident near College Station, Texas, June 1, 1995
On June 1, 1995 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N76856, was substantially damaged in an accident near College Station, Texas (Easterwood 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 INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A LANDING AIRPLANE. 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
- June 1, 1995 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- College Station, Texas · Easterwood
- 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
- N76856 · no longer on the register · serial 11290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A LANDING SAAB 340. THE PILOT STATED THAT A TWO MILE SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED WHEN HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND BEHIND THE COMMUTER AIRPLANE. WIND WAS FROM 200 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,094 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 4,040 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 1995; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EYQ Houston TX at 6:10 pm
- Destination: CLL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,160 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from CLL, 1 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.
Other NTSB records under N76856 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.