# NTSB CEN22LA004: Cessna 195, N3027B, Watkins, CO, October 4, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 4, 2021, 16:08 local (22:08 UTC) - Place: Watkins, CO - Coordinates: 39.793859, -104.55175 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7939&lon=-104.5517&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104042 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA004 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104042/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104042 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA004 ## Probable cause The separation of the left main landing gear spring during landing roll due to a preexisting fatigue crack. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 195B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=2073112), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 195B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=2073112), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 195B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2073112), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Cessna 195B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2073112), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 195B, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2073112), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 195B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2073112), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported he was landing from a personal flight in his tailwheel-equipped airplane when it suddenly swerved to the right shortly after the tailwheel contacted the runway surface during the landing roll. The pilot applied left rudder and brake to regain directional control, but the airplane veered off the right side of the runway into a level grass area. The left main landing gear (MLG) spring fractured where the spring entered the fuselage, which resulted in the airplane coming to rest on the lower left fuselage in a left wing down attitude. The left wing, left aileron, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the left MLG spring revealed a preexisting fatigue crack that initiated from the upper forward edge of the spring adjacent to the fuselage. The fatigue crack likely reduced the overall strength of the landing gear spring which resulted in its separation during the landing roll. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3027B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3027B), registered now, S/N 7910, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 195 (B) - Registry model: [Cessna 195B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-195b) (registry code 2073112) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Jacobs R-755A2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jacobs-r-755a2) (registry code 35019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7910 - Year built: 1952 - Airframe hours: 4370.3 - Engines: Jacobs R-755-A2 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 2021, 42.6 hours before - Departed: RCV, Del Norte, CO - Destination: CFO, Watkins, CO - Airport: CFO, Colorado Air and Space Port Airport, runway 8, 8,002 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 16, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 27,472 total, 162.3 in this make and model, 21,000 as pilot in command, 122.7 in the last 90 days, 50.4 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: CFO - METAR: SPECI KCFO 042210Z 10005KT 10SM SKC 27/M06 A3023 RMK ACFT MSHP= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20211004016669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211004016669A), Oct 4, 2021: Cessna 195B, Watkins, CO, Substantial damage. Immediately after landing at cfo to complete a day VFR part 91 personal flight from rcv, N3027B veered off runway 08 and sustained substantial damage after… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104042. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13964334&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20Pilot%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB materials lab summary report (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 352 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13964912&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20NTSB%20Materials%20Lab%20Chief%20Email%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Weather data (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13965248&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Weather%20Data-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 4 photos, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13964609&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04%20-%20Photos-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.