- Date
- December 17, 2011, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Montague, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N89809Cessna 120
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 8, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111217028119A
- Case key
- 82552
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 delay in performing a rejected takeoff after experiencing an intermittent loss of engine power, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 1
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, during the takeoff roll, as the airplane accelerated to 40 mph, the engine sputtered, and he reduced power with sufficient runway remaining to stop; however, the sputtering ceased, and he then added power to continue the takeoff attempt. The engine sputtered a second time, and the pilot reduced engine power again. At that point, he was concerned about the length of runway remaining and elected to steer off the left side of the runway, rather than risk going off the end of the runway and down into a ditch. As the airplane departed the left side of the runway, it struck a runway sign and sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. The pilot subsequently defueled and moved the airplane before it could be examined. Therefore, it was not possible to verify the fuel quantity or determine if any fuel contamination was present. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures. The pilot reported that he should have aborted the takeoff earlier.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, as the airplane accelerated to 40 mph, the engine sputtered and he reduced power with sufficient runway remaining to stop; however, the sputter ceased and he then added power to continue the takeoff attempt. The engine sputtered a second time and the pilot reduced engine power again. At that point, he was concerned about the length of runway remaining, and elected to steer off the left side of the runway, rather than risk going off the end of the runway and down a ditch. As the airplane departed the left side of the runway, it struck a runway sign and came to rest upright. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. The pilot subsequently defueled and moved the airplane before it was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. As such, the inspector was unable to verify the fuel quantity or if any fuel contamination was present. His subsequent examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical failures. Additionally, the pilot reported that there were no other preimpact mechanical malfunctions and that he should have aborted the takeoff earlier.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N89809
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8858
- Airframe hours
- 2,579
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Roske John L
- Registered owner
- Roske John L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 14, 2011 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- 0B5 · Montague, MA
- Destination
- ORE · Orange, MA
- Airport
- 0B5 · Turners Falls Airport, runway 34, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 2, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 404 total · 55 in this make and model · 404 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- ORE, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.