# Accident 20230125000569A: Cessna 120, Eagle River, WI, January 25, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 25, 2023, 10:30 local time
- Place: Eagle River, WI
- Airport: Eagle River Union Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.5594° N, 89.1610° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5594&lon=-89.1610&mi=10
- Aircraft: N73034, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N73034) (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: 1,981 total, 1,416 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA098) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230125000569A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 25, 2023 APPROXIMETLY 1300 CST THE PILOT OF A 1946 CESSNA CE-120 WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 13 WHILE FEDERAL 1500 SNOW SKIS WERE INSTALLED. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY SOUL ON BOARD. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS SCATTERED AT 4500' AGL WINDS CALM 28* F 10 MILES VIS NO PRECIPITATION. DURING THE TAKE OFF SEQUENCE AND AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD PACK SNOW FROM SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN UNDETECTABLE DUE TO THE NEW SNOW COVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAUNCHED INTO THE AIR, BUT NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK TO THE GROUND. THE LEFT SKI PENETRATED THE SNOW AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOWLY FLIP OVER FORWARD. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN THE LEFT SKI WAS TORN FROM THE LANDING GEAR AND PENETRATED THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE POWER WAS NORMAL AS WELL AS ALL OTHER PARAMETERS. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AT THE TIME. THE PILOT DID DOCUMENT IN THE RECORDS THAT HE HAD INSTALLED THE FEDERAL 1500 SKIS. THE PILOT ALSO STATED HE FELT VERY WELL RESTED ON THAT MORNING OF THE EVENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SURVEY THE SNOW COVER AND SNOW PACK PARALLEL TO RWY 13 PRIOR TO TAKE OFF AND THAT HE REALIZED HE SHOULD HAVE AND WOULD HAVE DETECTED THE INCONSISTENCIES DUE TO THE NEW SNOW AND HARDER PACKED SNOW FROM PREVIOUS SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT.

## 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 CEN23LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA098), Jan 25, 2023: Cessna 120 (N73034), Eagle River, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to takeoff from an unsuitable surface which resulted in collision with an object.

## Other reports on N73034 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20040221003749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040221003749A), Feb 21, 2004: Cessna 120 (N73034), Merrill, WI, Substantial damage. (-23) On Saturday, February 21, 2004, at 1655 EST a Cessna CE-120, N73034, struck a rut in the snow with the right ski causing the aircraft to flip over while…

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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