NTSB LAX90DUJ04 — 1989-10-20 · ELOY, Arizona, United States

N120TM has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (SWEARINGEN SA226-T(B), built 1981), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N120TM RAND ENGINEERING KR-II Fatal

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND HIS FAILURE TO DISCONTINUE THE APPROACH WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE GUSTING CROSS WINDS WERE EXCEEDING THE ABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Factual narrative

THERE WERE TWO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT, ONE WAS LOCATED ON THE AIRPORT AND THE SECOND WAS ANOTHER PILOT IN AN AIRCRAFT TRAVELING IN COMPANY WITH THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WITNESS ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT FIRST, HOWEVER, ELECTED TO GO AROUND DUE TO THE STRONG GUSTING CROSS WINDS HE ENCOUNTERED ON FINAL. THE GROUND WITNESS ON THE AIRPORT STATED THAT HE WATCHED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT ON FINAL APPROACH. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS 'HAVING TROUBLE WITH CONTROL IN THE STRONG CROSS WIND.' HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT ABOUT 30 FEET AGL ON FINAL WHEN A SUDDEN STRONG GUST 'LIFTED THE AIRPLANE UPSIDE DOWN AND THE PLANE THEN DROPPED AND STRUCK THE GROUND'. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX90DUJ04.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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