# NTSB IAD01LA030: Cessna 120, N3070N, Trenton, ME, January 25, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 25, 2001, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Trenton, ME - Coordinates: 44.449443, -68.361389 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4494&lon=-68.3614&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 2, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51390 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD01LA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51390/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA030 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper touchdown in the snow after the airplane became prematurely airborne during an attempted takeoff. A factor was the pilot's inadequate training. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - inadequate initial training, pilot in command (contributing factor) - touchdown - improper, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - snow covered - soft field takeoff/procedure - premature, pilot in command - Nose over, takeoff - roll/run ## Analysis The pilot said the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings in the snow. The landing gear was a tailwheel configuration equipped with skis. During the takeoff, the airplane lifted off prematurely after crossing a small berm. The airplane descended back down onto the snow, the left ski submerged under the surface, the left wing tip and the propeller struck the snow, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported 130 hours of total flight experience, of which, 30 hours were in make and model and 12 hours were on skis. The pilot said he had no formal instruction in ski-equipped airplanes, and that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On January 25, 2001, at 1630 eastern standard time, Cessna 120, N3070N, was substantially damaged during takeoff from the Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB), Trenton, Maine. The certificated private pilot/owner was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight that originated at the Bar Harbor Airport, at 1630. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a telephone interview, the pilot said the airplane was a "taildragger" and was equipped with skis. He said the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings on the snow. The pilot/owner said that he had departed Bar Harbor earlier in the day and successfully performed a landing and subsequent takeoff from a nearby frozen lake. He said he returned to Bar Harbor and performed several takeoffs and landings in the snow-covered infield adjacent to runway 35. According to the pilot: "I had been up practicing touch-and-goes and full stops. On the takeoff, near as I can tell, what happened was that at takeoff speed, I was pulling back on the yoke when I hit a bump. I went up a little and when I came back down the left ski hit a soft spot in the snow. The right ski stayed on top of the snow, but the left ski came down like there was a soft spot and sunk about 12 to 14 inches into the snow. The ski sunk in and caught. The ski submarined under the snow and the plane nosed up and over. I was in a takeoff attitude, the toes were up, and I hit this very little bump in the terrain, a little berm. The only reason I would take off on something so small was because of the speed and attitude. But when that ski sunk in, I hit the left wing tip, the nose prop, and pole-vaulted right over and landed completely upside down facing up [runway] 35." The pilot reported he had approximately 130 hours of total flight experience. He said he had 30 hours of experience in the Cessna 120, 12 hours of which was on skis. The pilot said other pilots with ski-equipped airplanes had shared with him their knowledge and experience about flight with skis, but that he had no formal instruction flying airplanes equipped with skis. He said, "My insurance company required 10 hours for the tailwheel, but actual instruction on skis, I didn't get that." The pilot/owner was asked to describe the performance and handling of his airplane. He said: "Excellent. There was no problem. There wasn't a breath of wind, everything was working good, and it was just one of those things." The weather reported at Bar Harbor was scattered clouds at 4,300 feet with winds from 320 degrees at 4 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3070N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3070N-2004-04-02), registration cancelled 2004-04-02, S/N 13328, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 120 - Registry model: [Cessna 120](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-120) (registry code 2071402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 13328 - Airframe hours: 3808 - Engines: Continental A-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stephen M. Robbins - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 27, 2000, 34 hours before - Departed: BHB, Trenton, ME - Airport: BHB, Bar Harbor Airport, runway 35, 3,364 × 75 ft, snow ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review September 20, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 130 total, 30 in this make and model, 90 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BHB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010125000459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010125000459A), Jan 25, 2001: Cessna 120, Bar Harbor, ME, Substantial damage. (-23) On Thursday January 25, 2001, about 1630 EST, a Cessna 120, N3070N, collided with the ground shortly afer take-off, adjacent to runway 35 at the Bar… ## Other investigations on N3070N (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 NYC66F0264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC66F0264), Sep 28, 1965: Cessna 120 (N3070N), Turner, ME, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.