Cessna 120 N3580V
25 September 2016 · North Collins, New York, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 25 September 2016 at about 13:23 local time, a Cessna 120 registered N3580V was involved in an accident near North Collins, New York, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:23
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- North Collins, New York, United States
- Coordinates
- 42.5989, -78.8917
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120
- Registration
- N3580V
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1948
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hamburg → Saint Marys
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA16FA324
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of the second airplane's pilot to see and avoid the first airplane as he was overtaking the first airplane.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The accident airplanes were the first two of a flight of six that were travelling to another airport for the pilots and passengers to have breakfast together. The first airplane departed first as it was a slower airplane and required more time to fly to the destination airport. The second airplane departed about 1 minute 18 seconds later. Radar data indicated that that the second airplane was behind and to the left of the first airplane, until they collided at 3,500 ft mean sea level. It could not be determined why the pilot of the second airplane did not see and avoid the first airplane prior to the collision. Both airplanes then entered a near-vertical, nose-down descent. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the second airplane's propeller sliced through the first airplane's empennage, and the first airplane subsequently contacted the second airplane's left wing with its tire, severing an outboard section. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were identified with the wreckages of both airplanes that would have precluded normal flight.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 120 NO SERIES | N3580V | - | Destroyed |
| Piper PA28 140 | N612FL | - | Destroyed |
Other Cessna 120 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Sep 2016 | Cessna 120 | Davis, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Jun 2016 | Cessna 120 | Climax, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Cessna 120 | Belen, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Nov 2016 | Cessna 120 | Lincoln, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Nov 2015 | Cessna 120 | Gonzales, Louisiana, United States | Graham Aviation LLC | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Mar 2017 | Cessna 120 | Columbia, Illinois, United States | Aeronca Champ Club Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Aug 2016 | Mantell Allan T KITFOX 4 1200 | Canandaigua, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Dec 2016 | Beechcraft A36 | Shoreham, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Piper PA 17 | Keene Valley, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 2016 | Piper PA 28-140 | Bayport, New York, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Cessna 172 | Argyle, New York, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Jan 2016 | Robinson R22 | Lindenhurst, New York, United States | Academy of Aviation, LLC | No injuries | - |