Cessna 120 accident near Sonoma, California, January 21, 1992
On January 21, 1992, a Cessna 120, registered N3010N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sonoma, California. 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
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A BINDING MIXTURE CONTROL SHAFT. THE BINDING MIXTURE CONTROL SHAFT WAS THE RESULT OF INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE WHICH ALLOWED THE ACCUMULATION OF MOISTURE AND WATER IN THE CARBURETOR TO REMAIN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME CAUSING RUST AND CORROSION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1992
- Place
- Sonoma, California · 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
- N3010N · no longer on the register · serial 13268
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO PRACTICE LANDINGS. AT ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET AGL ON THE CROSSWIND LEG, THE ENGINE QUIT. AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A PASTURE WHICH WAS SLOPED, ROUGH AND HAD A DRY CREEK BED IN IT. UPON REACHING THE CREEK BED, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE CONTROL LINKAGE WAS FROZEN AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MOVEMENT OF THE COCKPIT CONTROL. DISASSEMBLY OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED EVIDENCE OF MOISTURE AND WATER CONTAMINATION, ACCUMULATED OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH CAUSED RUST, CORROSION AND BINDING OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL SHAFT IN THE LEAN TO NEAR IDLE CUTOFF POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE LAST TIME THE CARBURETOR WAS OVERHAULED WAS ABOUT JUNE 2, 1983, WHILE INSTALLED IN AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT ON MAY 17, 1991, AFTER ACCUMULATING ABOUT 132 HOURS IN ABOUT 8 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS THAT THE CARBURETOR BE OVERHAULED EVERY 5 CALENDER YEARS.
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: 442 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 363 as pilot in command; 29 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,777 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1991; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.