Cessna 140 accident near Vacaville, California, May 21, 2014
On May 21, 2014 at about 4:14 pm local time, a 1947 Cessna 140, registered N2256N, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Vacaville, California (Nut Tree Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's use of excessive brakes during landing, which resulted in a nose over. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power during takeoff initial climb, likely due to carburetor ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2014 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Vacaville, California · Nut Tree Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 G, built 1947 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2256N · no longer on the register · serial 12492
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking off for a personal local flight and about 150 feet in the air, the engine lost partial power. The pilot decided to land the airplane on the remaining runway. As the airplane approached the end of the runway, the pilot said he applied the brakes too hard, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot said he had replaced two engine cylinders, and during the previous days he had run the engine on the ground in accordance with the cylinder break-in procedure. The accident flight was the first flight after the engine repair. Prior to the flight, he had done an extended ground run without the use of carburetor heat. He said during the initial climb the engine lost power, acting like it might have had water in the fuel, but during the preflight inspection, he had sumped the tanks, and found no water. According to a carburetor icing chart, the weather conditions at the time of the accident bordered between serious icing at glide power and serious icing at cruise 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 351 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,349 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 3,349 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVCB Vacaville CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: KVCB Vacaville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 4,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KVCB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 19, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2256N 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.