Accident Details
On January 18, 2022, at about 1100 central standard time, a Cessna 120 airplane, registration N90129, was substantially damaged when it impacted a parked fuel truck near Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
Security camera footage from Sylvania Airport (C89) captured the accident sequence. The airplane attempted to depart to the east using runway 08R. The takeoff roll began, and approximately one-quarter of the way down the runway, the airplane departed the left (north) side. The footage showed the airplane traveling over a flat grass field with the engine running. At no point did the airplane become airborne, and the tailwheel appeared to remain in contact with the ground throughout the runway excursion. The airplane came to rest after colliding with the cabin of an unoccupied, parked fuel truck.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that he recalled taxiing for takeoff and applying engine power, but he was unable to recall any subsequent events.
Aircraft Examination
Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies. Flight control continuity and airframe-to-engine control continuity were established. The main landing gear brake lines sustained impact damage, precluding a functional brake test. The main wheels rotated freely, and the brake pads and rotors on both wheels exhibited minimal wear. No foreign object debris was found jamming or restricting cockpit control operation.
Medical and Toxicology Information
The pilot had reported no medical conditions or medication use to the FAA. During prehospital and initial hospital care, ketamine, fentanyl, propofol, and lidocaine were administered. Hospital documentation did not note any underlying natural disease, such as a stroke or heart attack, that might have affected the pilot prior to the collision.
Toxicology testing by the FAA’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory on blood and urine specimens obtained during the pilot’s initial hospital admission revealed the presence of medications administered during post-crash care: ketamine and its metabolite norketamine, fentanyl and its metabolite norfentanyl, lidocaine, and propofol. Additionally, atorvastatin, famotidine, and fexofenadine were identified, which are non-impairing medications.