Cessna 120 accident near Death Valley, California, October 24, 2026
On October 24, 2026 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N89885, was involved in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Death Valley, California. It was flown under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2026 · about 9:25 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Death Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N89885 · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N89885 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N89885 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 120 660 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,098 in the last ten years
- California 27,686 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N89885 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR27LA023.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.