Cessna 120 accident near Olancha, California, October 18, 1991
On October 18, 1991 at about 10:31 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N120MK, was destroyed in an accident near Olancha, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S POOR APPROACH PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1991 · about 10:31 pm local time
- Place
- Olancha, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N120MK · registry record · serial 13541
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED CONTROLLED FLIGHT AND HIT THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A SMALL FIELD ABOUT 120 YARDS WIDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ENTERING A LEFT TURN ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO THE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE'S SPEED WAS DESCRIBED AS SLOW. THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH DOWN RAPIDLY. ANOTHER PILOT INDICATED HE SAW THE AIRPLANE STALL. THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 5,600 ABOVE SEA LEVEL, AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ESTIMATED AS 85 DEG F.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,612 hours in all; 779 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 4,278 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,684 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1991; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.