Cessna 120 accident near Long Beach, California, March 25, 1983
On March 25, 1983 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N72548, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1983 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · 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
- N72548 · registry record · serial 9718
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT DURING ROLLOUT AFTER LANDING HE WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A TAXIWAY WHEN A GROUND LOOP OCCURRED. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS SHEARED DURING THE GROUND LOOPED AND THE LEFT WING BROKE AT THE STRUT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,150 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,420 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:25 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX83LA156.