- Date
- February 21, 2004, 16:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- Merrill, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N73034Cessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040221003749A
- Case key
- 58805
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 selection of unsuitable terrain to conduct a landing. Factors were the reported flat light conditions and the uneven terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The ski-equipped airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted uneven terrain and subsequently nosed over during its landing on a frozen river. The pilot reported that he "had determined incorrectly that this was a very good place to land." The pilot stated that the snow was fresh, smooth, evenly colored, and not tracked up by vehicle traffic. The pilot reported that upon landing, the right ski fell into a snowmobile path that was approximately 18 inches deep. The airplane immediately nosed over. The pilot reported that there was 'flat' light conditions at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On February 21, 2004, about 1655 central standard time, a ski-equipped Cessna 120, N73034, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted uneven terrain and subsequently nosed over during a landing on the frozen Wisconsin River, near Merrill, Wisconsin. The personal flight was operated under 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Merrill Municipal Airport (RRL), near Merrill, Wisconsin, about 1600.
The pilot reported:
The accident occurred when I landed on Lake Alexander, a portion
of the Wisconsin River. I had determined incorrectly that this was
a very good place to land. The snow was fresh, smooth, evenly
colored, and not tracked up by vehicle traffic. Upon landing my
[right] ski fell into a snowmobile path that was [approximately] 18
[inches] deep. The rut was at a near 45 [degrees] to my direction.
The ski buried and dove stopping suddenly flipping me over. ...
The light was 'flat' making surface detail difficult to [perceive].
At 1657, the recorded RRL weather was: Winds 280 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature -2 degrees C; dew point -8 degrees C; altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury.
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73034
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10242
- Airframe hours
- 4,936
- Engine
- Continental C-90C, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brook Mueller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- RRL · Merrill, WI
- Destination
- Merrill, WI
- Airport
- RRL · Merrill Muni
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 29, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 211 total · 54 in this make and model · 173 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KRRL, 4 nm away
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 N73034 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.