Cessna 120 accident near Skykomish, Washington, March 9, 1991
On March 9, 1991 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N3163N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skykomish, Washington (Skykomish 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TAKE APPROPRIATE REMEDIAL ACTION AFTER LANDING TOO FAR DOWN THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1991 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Skykomish, Washington · Skykomish · 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
- N3163N · registry record · serial 13421
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT, WHO WAS GAINING OPERATING EXPERIENCE FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES, ELECTED TO LAND AT SKYKOMISH WHILE VISITING SEVERAL AIRPORTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED LONGER THAN HE WOULD LIKE, AND DIDN'T USE THE BRAKES AS AGGRESSIVELY AS HE COULD HAVE. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND SUBSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 158 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 114 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,475 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S88 Arlington WA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: WA60 Skykomish WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 2,050 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA91LA063.