# Accident 20111217028119A: Cessna 120, Turners Falls, MA, December 17, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 17, 2011, 10:30 local time
- Place: Turners Falls, MA
- Airport: Turners Falls
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.5917° N, 72.5231° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5917&lon=-72.5231&mi=10
- Aircraft: N89809, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N89809) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 120 (registry code 2071402, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-120) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 120
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR C85 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 404 total, 48 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111217028119A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 17, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 1030AM, N80809, A 1946 CESSNA 120, WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH AN AIRPORT RUNWAY SIGN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE # ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^9 AND OWNER OF N80809 WAS PERFORMING TOUCH N' GO MANUVERS AT TURNER FALLS AIRPORT (0B5) ORIGINALLY DEPARTING ORANGE MA. AIRPORT (ORE). AFTER PERFORMING THE 1ST TOUCH N' GO, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LANDED AND TAXIED N80809 TO THE SOUTH END OF RUNWAY 34 AND PERFORMED A NORMAL RUN UP AND NORTHERNLY DEPARTURE ON RUNWAY 34. DURING THE TAKEOFF HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE SPUTTER AND IMMEDIATELY RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE. WHILE STILL ROLLING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED THERE WAS PLENTY OF RUNWAY 34 REMAINING TO CONTINUE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ADDED FULL THROTTLE TO PERFORM HIS TAKE OFF. THE ENGINE OF N80809 SPUTTERED FOR A SECOND TIME WHILE STILL ON THE RUNWAY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN MADE THE DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND TURNED INTO THE GRASS TO AVOID ROLLING OFF THE END OF RUNWAY 34 POSSIBLY COLLIDING WITH THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE. N80809, UNDER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONTROL SKIDDED FROM RUNWAY 34 ACROSS THE GRASS, CROSSING THE TAXIWAY AND IMPACTED THE "A 16" RUNWAY MARKER WITH THE RIGHT FUSELAGE AFT OF THE CABIN AREA. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED AND COASTED APPROXIMATELY 150FT. COMING TO REST AFTER THE IMPACT WITH THE RUNWAY MARKER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DRAINED 17 GALLONS OF FUEL AND REMOVED THE WINGS FOR TRAILER TRANSPORT TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WITHOUT INJURY TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA12CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA118), Dec 17, 2011: Cessna 120 (N89809), Montague, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's delay in performing a rejected takeoff after experiencing an intermittent loss of engine power, which resulted in a runway excursion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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