Cessna 120 accident near Creighton, Nebraska, September 20, 1987
On September 20, 1987 at about 1:40 am local time, a Cessna 120, registered N2061V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Creighton, Nebraska (Creighton Muni 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).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1987 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Creighton, Nebraska · Creighton Muni · 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
- N2061V · registry record · serial 14672
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT DPTD HARVARD, NE., WITH A DEST OF WAUSA, NE ABT 1 HRS FLYING DIST TO THE NORTHEAST. THE DEPARTURE COMMENCED ABT 1 HR AND 40 MIN'S PRIOR TO DARK. THE PIC STATED HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG HEADWINDS ALONG THE ROUTE WHICH DELAYED HIS PROGRESS. THE ACFT ARRIVED AT WAUSA AFTER DARK. THE PIC RPTD NO RWY LTNG AVAILABLE. THE PIC THEN CHANGED HIS COURSE TO LAND AT BLOOMFIELD, NE. THE PIC STATED NO LTNG WAS AVAILABLE THERE EITHER. THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO CREIGHTON, NE. AGAIN THE PIC RPTD NO LNDG LTGS AVAILABLE, BUT DUE TO A LOW FUEL STATE, THE PIC DECIDED TO LAND. THE PIC STATED THAT DURING THE LNDG ROLL IN THE DARK, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN AND FLIPPED INVERTED. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A LNDG LIGHT, NOR A RADIO. EACH ARPT WHERE A LNDG WAS ATTEMPTED, WERE EQUIPPED WITH RADIO XMSN ACTIVATED RWY LGTS. AN OPERABLE TRANSCEIVER IS MANDATORY TO ACTIVATE RWY LGTS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 693 hours in all; 455 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1987; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 08K Harvard NE
- Destination: Wausa NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 am from SUX, 65 miles away
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.