Cessna 120 accident near Battleground, Washington, February 16, 1993
On February 16, 1993 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N2100V, was destroyed in an accident near Battleground, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO ENTER A STALL/SPIN CONDITION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A TAILWIND, POWER LINES AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1993 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Battleground, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N2100V · no longer on the register · serial 14235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND TO THE WEST ON A 1300 FOOT TURF AIRSTRIP. THE WEST EDGE OF THE AIRSTRIP TERMINATED IN POWER LINES AND TREES ESTIMATED TO BE 80 FEET TALL. A SINGLE WHEEL TRACK WAS OBSERVED BEGINNING 405 FEET FROM THE WEST EDGE OF THE STRIP AND PROGRESSING 45 FEET. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE 'SAW THE PLANE GO UP AND OVER THE TREES' AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT 'WENT STRAIGHT UP AND STALLED' AFTER WHICH IT 'ROLLED OVER A COMPLETE 180 DEGREE TURN AND LANDED ON ITS NOSE.' THE WITNESS REPORTED STRONG WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND SURFACE WIND OBSERVATIONS AT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 13 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST WERE FROM 090 DEGREES IN THE TEENS WITH GUSTS IN THE 30'S.
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
- Flight time: 1,489 hours in all; 1,487 in this make and model; 1,489 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,692 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1992; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0S6 Orchards WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 1,300 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 18 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from PDX, 13 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.
Other NTSB records under N2100V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.