- Date
- September 5, 2022, 10:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Scappoose, OR · KSPB
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N77257Cessna 120
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220905016589A
- Case key
- 105877
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 failure to maintain airplane control while taxing in gusty wind conditions.
Findings · 2
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 taxi southbound for takeoff he noticed the windsock in a north-northwest wind direction. He had the flight controls in a neutral position and the engine speed was 800 rpm when he encountered a strong gust of wind from behind. The tail of the airplane lifted, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. The right-wing lift strut and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77257
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11719
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,288.32
- Engine
- Cont Motor C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 2022
- Departed
- WA67 · Vancouver, WA
- Destination
- KSPB · Scappoose, OR
- Airport
- SPB · SCAPPOOSE Airport, runway 33, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 23, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 230.31 total · 20.41 in this make and model · 131.81 as pilot in command · 11.05 in the last 90 days · 4.8 in the last 30 days · 1.1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.16 inHg
- Observed at
- KSPB
- METAR
- KSPB 051753Z AUTO 36010KT 10SM CLR 21/12 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP212 T02060117 10206 20111 58002
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.