Cessna 120 N2902N

Summary

On 30 July 2022 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 120 registered N2902N was involved in an accident near Mecosta, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 July 2022 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mecosta, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Mecosta Morton (27C)

Coordinates

43.6304, -85.2613

Aircraft

Cessna 120

Registration

N2902N

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Stanwood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA358

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to depart on inadequate runway surface conditions that resulted in a loss of control after attempting to abort the takeoff, a runway excursion, and a nose over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after landing, he planned to make an immediate departure. During the takeoff roll, about halfway down the turf runway, the airplane traveled over “rough runway conditions” and bounced several times. The pilot assessed the situation and decided to abort the takeoff. Due to the rough surface and the constant bouncing of the airplane, the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it departed the runway. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, and the pilot was able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the left wing strut, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.