- Date
- February 9, 1995, 18:30 local (Feb 10, 1995, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Scappoose, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N77480Cessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950209001609A
- Case key
- 42107
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and inadvertent use of the brakes.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the airplane bounced on touch down and that he didn't realize that his feet moved up on the rudder pedals when he applied pressure to recover from the bounce. The brakes were inadvertently applied and the airplane nosed over on the runway. There were no reported mechanical failures or malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On February 9, 1995, at 1830 Pacific standard time, N77480, a Cessna 120, operated by the owner/pilot, nosed over during landing in Scappoose, Oregon, and was substantially damaged. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight departed from Hillsboro, Oregon, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that the airplane bounced on touch down. The pilot stated that he did not realize that his feet moved up on the rudder pedals when he applied pressure to recover from the bounce. Instead, the brakes were applied and the airplane nosed over on the runway.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77480
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11924
- Engine
- Continental C85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ricks, Robert S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 19, 1994 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- HIO · Hillsboro, OR
- Destination
- 1S4
- Airport
- 1S4 · Scappoose Industrial, runway 33, 3,999 × 150 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 244 total · 12 in this make and model · 203 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIO, 15 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.