Cessna 120 accident near Prescott, Arizona, March 6, 1983
On March 6, 1983 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N1958V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Love Field). It was a personal 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 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
- March 6, 1983 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Love Field · 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
- N1958V · registry record · serial 14169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS TAXIING IN WINDS THAT WERE MODERATE & GUSTING. WHILE TAXIING, HE MADE S-TURNS & POSITIONED THE CONTROLS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND. AS HE APPROACHED THE RUN-UP AREA, HE REDUCED POWER TO SLOW DOWN. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE NOSE SUDDENLY PITCHED DOWN & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT SURE WHETHER HE OR THE PASSENGER ENGAGED THE BRAKES 'TOO HARD.' THE 1152 MST WINDS AT PRESCOTT, AZ WERE FROM 240 DEG AT 10 GUSTING 20 KTS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 166 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 121 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,609 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1982; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from PRC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.