FTW94LA153

Factual narrative

On May 11, 1994, at 1609 mountain standard time, a Cessna 120, N89550, was substantially damaged during landing at Goodyear, Arizona. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. In his pilot/operator report, the pilot said his original destination was Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. When he was just west of Goodyear, Arizona, he could see dark clouds and rain over his destination, so he decided to land at Goodyear. After waiting for a dust storm to pass, the pilot began his approach to runway 3. Sustained winds were reported from 050 degrees at 20 to 25 knots. The pilot said he made a wheel landing and was decelerating with the tailwheel on the ground when a "strong wind gust spun the aircraft around." The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and struck a small ditch and nosed over. THE PILOT, EN ROUTE TO MESA, ARIZONA, DECIDED TO LAND AT GOODYEAR, ARIZONA, DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER AT HIS DESTINATION. SUSTAINED WINDS DURING HIS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 3 WERE REPORTED TO BE 050 DEGREES AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS. THE PILOT SAID HE MADE A WHEEL LANDING AND WAS DECELERATING WITH THE TAILWHEEL ON THE GROUND WHEN A 'STRONG WIND GUST SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND.' THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A SMALL DITCH. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12