- Date
- November 17, 1986, 11:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Columbia, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4085NCessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19861117079789A
- Case key
- 25473
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
At the beginning of a local pleasure flight, the pilot lost control of the aircraft while practicing high speed taxiing for directional control for takeoffs and landings. Upon reaching liftoff speed, the power was reduced to idle. The aircraft swerved to the left and right rudder was applied. The aircraft then swerved to the right and full left rudder and forward stick were applied. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground and the aircraft nosed down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4085N
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13543
- Airframe hours
- 5,523
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Glenn W. Smith
- Registered owner
- Robert Therkelsen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 4, 1986 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- 022
- Airport
- 022 · Columbia, runway 29, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 235 total · 38 in this make and model · 183 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
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 N4085N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.