Cessna 120 accident near Missoula, Montana, August 16, 2002
On August 16, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N72594, was substantially damaged in an accident near Missoula, Montana (Missoula International 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the wind conditions during the landing roll. Delayed remedial action and a high crosswind condition were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Missoula, Montana · Missoula International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N72594 · no longer on the register · serial 9766
- 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 he was landing the aircraft in known high crosswind conditions. During the approach, the pilot stated that he had nearly full right aileron control and nearly full left rudder control applied to maintain runway alignment. The pilot stated, "I tried to do a 1 wheel, wheel landing. This is done by immediately applying forward pressure to the control column when the 1 wheel contacts the runway." When the pilot did this, the airplane bounced and continued to bounce for about 1,000 feet before he decided to abort the landing. When the pilot applied back pressure and power, he lost control of the airplane. The left wing contacted the ground and the airplane cart wheeled, substantially damaging both wings.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,460 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,118 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 2001; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTM Butte MT at 6:00 pm
- Destination: MSO Missoula MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 9,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from MSO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.