Cessna 120 accident near Willimantic, Connecticut, November 2, 2004
On November 2, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N1811N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willimantic, Connecticut (Windham airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's loss of directional control due to his uneven application of brakes. A factor in the accident 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 2, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willimantic, Connecticut · Windham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N1811N · no longer on the register · serial 12055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was rated in helicopters only, and was receiving instruction in airplanes. He had accrued 8 hours of total airplane time, all of which was in the tail-wheeled accident airplane. During this instructional flight, the pilot demonstrated difficulty with proper brake control, and the instructor elected to practice braking and turning. While they taxied forward at 15 mph, the instructor asked the pilot to turn the airplane around. The pilot initiated an immediate right turn to reverse direction that oriented the tail into the wind. The tail rose up in the turn and the airplane continued around and over onto its nose. The pilot said that he intended to slow the airplane before the turn, but that his braking was "uneven", and resulted in a "hard" right turn and the nose over. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical difficulties with the airplane.
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
Flight instructor
- 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
- Flight time: 1,379 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,278 as pilot in command; 893 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 16, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,379 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,006 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 2004; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IJD Willimantic CT at 3:55 pm
- Destination: IJD Willimantic CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,278 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from HFD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.