- Date
- July 30, 2022, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mecosta, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2902NCessna 120
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20220730013739A
- Case key
- 105656
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to depart on inadequate runway surface conditions that resulted in a loss of control after attempting to abort the takeoff, a runway excursion, and a nose over.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after landing, he planned to make an immediate departure. During the takeoff roll, about halfway down the turf runway, the airplane traveled over “rough runway conditions” and bounced several times. The pilot assessed the situation and decided to abort the takeoff. Due to the rough surface and the constant bouncing of the airplane, the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it departed the runway. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, and the pilot was able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the left wing strut, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2902N
- Reported as
- Cessna 120 (NO SERIES EXISTS)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13163
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 4,448
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 30, 2021
- Departed
- 0C5 · Stanwood, MI
- Airport
- 27C · Mecosta Morton, runway 03, 2,010 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,454.8 total · 150.2 in this make and model · 1,338.5 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 17.5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KRQB, 12 nm away
- METAR
- KRQB 301435Z AUTO 24007KT 10SM CLR 24/15 A3020 RMK AO2 T02420152
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2902N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.