Cessna 120 accident near Plant City, Florida, May 27, 2003
On May 27, 2003 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N76494, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plant City, Florida (Plant City Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane resulting in it nosing over during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2003 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Plant City, Florida · Plant City Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N76494 · no longer on the register · serial 10926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff, the flight proceeded to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport where he landed uneventfully, secured the airplane, and purchased fuel. The flight departed approximately 1200 to return, and entered the traffic pattern for runway 28, with a wind from 340 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 12 knots. While on final approach he slipped the airplane to lose altitude, and touched down 600-700 feet down the runway at 42 to 44 knots. The airplane became airborne, the right wing raised, and the airplane drifted to the left. He applied right aileron and left rudder input to maintain runway centerline, added slight power, and released slight amount of back pressure on the yoke. The airplane touched down again on the main landing gears about 400 feet beyond the first touchdown point and rolled approximately 50-100 feet at which time the airplane nosed over. He further stated there was no problem with the brakes or flight controls of the airplane.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,785 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KZPH Zephyrhills FL
- Destination: KPCM Plant City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.