# NTSB MIA98LA088: Cessna 195, N4356V, Chapel Hill, NC, February 26, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 25, 1998, 20:04 local (Feb 26, 1998, 01:04 UTC) - Place: Chapel Hill, NC - Coordinates: 35.909934, -79.14962 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9099&lon=-79.1496&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 3 serious - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38465 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA088 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38465/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA088 ## Probable cause failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during a go-around, followed by his failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to avoid trees, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. The pilot's lack of recent night experience was a related factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - lack of recent experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis During landing, the aircraft bounced. When the aircraft touched down again, the pilot noticed it had turned to the left of runway heading about 30 degrees and was drifting toward the left side of the runway. He initiated a go-around. As the aircraft lifted off, the pilot lost sight of the runway lights. He then noticed the aircraft had drifted to the right and was approaching trees. He turned back to the left, the left wing dropped, and the aircraft descended and crashed to the ground. Postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, engine, or propeller. The runway lights were found to operate normally after the accident. The pilot did not have a current FAA medical certificate for it had been denied. The pilot did not meet FAA night recency of experience requirements. ## Factual narrative On February 25, 1998, about 2004 eastern standard time, a Cessna 195, N4356V, registered to an individual, crashed during an aborted landing at Horace Williams Airport, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and two passengers received serious injuries. The flight last departed Mount Sterling, Kentucky, the same day, about 1850. The pilot stated that during landing on runway 27 at Horace Williams Airport, the aircraft touched down and bounced. When the aircraft again touched down he became aware that the aircraft was now on a heading 30 degrees to the left of runway heading, and was moving toward the left side of the runway and the runway lights. He decided to perform a go-around and applied full engine power and heavy right rudder to correct for the drift to the left. The aircraft lifted off the runway and he could no longer see runway lights. He then noticed he had over corrected for the left drift and the aircraft was traveling to the right of the runway heading. He had his head in the cockpit monitoring airspeed and removing landing trim when the right front passenger pointed out that they were approaching a tree line. He started a turn to the left, back towards the runway and away from the trees and the left wing of the aircraft dropped in what he believed to be the start of a spin to the left. He next awoke in the wreckage. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector and representatives of Cessna Aircraft showed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, or engine and propeller. On October 22. 1997, the pilot applied for an FAA third class medical certificate. This certificate was denied by the FAA. Title 14 CFR Part 61.103 states "to be eligible for a private pilot certificate, a person must hold at least a third-class medical certificate." A review of the pilot's logbook showed the pilot had flown one flight hour and performed 1 landing at night in the preceding 90 days. Title 14 CFR Part 61.57 states "no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers at night unless, within the preceding 90 days that person has made not fewer than three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop, at night, as the sole manipulator of the flight controls in the same category and class of aircraft." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4356V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4356V-2001-04-09), registration cancelled 2001-04-09, S/N 7317 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 195 - Registry model: [Cessna 195](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-195) (registry code 2073102) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7317 - Airframe hours: 2189 - Engines: Jacobs R-755-9 245 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dean N. Essig - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 1997, 45 hours before - Departed: IOB, MOUNT STERLING, KY - Destination: IGX - Airport: IGX, Horace Williams, runway 27, 4,005 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 213 total, 25 in this make and model, 152 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 320° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: RDU, 15 nm away ## 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 19980225001779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980225001779A), Feb 25, 1998: Cessna 195, Chapel Hill, NC, Substantial damage. On February 25, 1998, about 2004 eastern standard time, a Cessna 195, N4356V, registered to an individual, crashed during an aborted landing at Horace Williams… 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.