Cessna 120 accident near Torrance, California, December 19, 1994
On December 19, 1994 at about 11:53 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N89885, was substantially damaged in an accident near Torrance, California (Torrance Municipal airport). 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
A blockage in the carburetor heat air duct which limited the effectiveness of the system's ability to prevent the formation of carburetor ice and resulted in a loss of power. A factor in the accident was the soft nature of the recently plowed ground in the runway overrun area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 1994 · about 11:53 pm local time
- Place
- Torrance, California · Torrance Municipal · 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
- N89885 · registry record · serial 8930
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GO PATTERN OPERATIONS AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF ON RUNWAY 29R. THE PILOT LANDED ON THE RUNWAY, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT PAVEMENT REMAINING TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER WHEN SOFT, RECENTLY PLOWED DIRT WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXAMINED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FOUND THE DUCT HOSE FROM THE HEAT BOX TO THE CARBURETOR CRIMPED, BLOCKING HOT AIR FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE PILOT SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE AS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE POWER LOSS. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT AT THE AIRPORT WERE 58 AND 51 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. REVIEW OF A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALED THAT THE NOTED TEMPERATURES WERE WITHIN AN AREA OF THE CHART ANNOTATED 'SERIOUS ICING -- CRUISE OR CLIMB POWER.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 502 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 315 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,434 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 1994; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOA CA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29R, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from TOA
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.