FTW95LA403

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 195 · Moriarty, NM · September 24, 1995

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 24, 1995, 11:50 local (17:50 UTC)
Place
Moriarty, NM
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4494CCessna 195
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 21, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19950924048869A
Case key
19587

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

the pilot's inadequate compensation for the winds. A factor was the crosswind.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentPilot in command
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll

Analysis

During a landing on runway 8 with a newly acquired aircraft, the pilot encountered a crosswind of 10 knots, gusting to 15. During the landing roll the aircraft veered right so the pilot applied full left brake, full left rudder, and full back yoke to arrest the turn. The aircraft continued with the turn and departed the runway. After entering the grassy area the aircraft ground looped. The pilot reported no mechanical difficulties with aircraft and an examination by a FAA inspector revealed no anomalies with the brakes or rudder.

Factual narrative

On September 24, 1995, at 1150 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 195, N4494C, was substantially damaged during landing roll at Moriarty Airport, Moriarty, New Mexico. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane departed Estancia, New Mexico, at 1130. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed.

During an interview of the pilot, conducted by a FAA inspector, and in a written statement, the pilot reported that, the purpose of the flight was to practice approaches in his "newly acquired aircraft." He further reported that during the landing roll on runway 8, the aircraft veered right and he "applied all the left brake he had and full left rudder" in order to stop the turn. The turn continued and the aircraft exited the runway and ground looped. During the loss of control the aircraft sustained damage to the left wing and left main landing gear was separated from the fuselage. The wind was out of the south at 10 knots, gusting to 15.

During the examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector, no anomalies could be found that accounted for the loss of directional control. The pilot also reported he had no mechanical difficulties with the aircraft.

Aircraft

Registration
N4494C
Reported as
Cessna 195
Category
Airplane
Serial number
16078
Airframe hours
3,015
Engine
Jacobs R-755-B2, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Patrick W. Wilson
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 22, 1995 · 15 hours before
Departed
E92 · Estancia, NM
Destination
0E0
Airport
0E0 · Moriarty, runway 8, 7,100 × 75 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
68
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
4,480 total · 63 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
Visibility
60 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.