Cessna 120 accident near Eagle River, Wisconsin, January 25, 2023
On January 25, 2023 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1946 Cessna 120, registered N73034, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Eagle River, Wisconsin (Eagle River Union Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to takeoff from an unsuitable surface which resulted in collision with an object.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2023 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle River, Wisconsin · Eagle River Union Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120, built 1946 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N73034 · registry record · serial 10242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during takeoff, the airplane reached an airspeed of about 35 mph and “hit an ice / snow berm”. The airplane became airborne, stalled, and impacted the terrain. The ski dug into the snow and the airplane flipped over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,981 hours in all; 1,416 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,889 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,185 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 6,185 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 1,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KEGV, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEGV 251855Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC090 M01/M06 A2973 RMK AO2 T10061058
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N73034 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA098.