- Date
- July 5, 2007, 08:15 local (12:15 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6381DCessna 195
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070705015549A
- Case key
- 66133
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a ground loop and impact with terrain.
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.
Analysis
According to the pilot of the Cessna 195, during a familiarization flight with the airplane's owner, they returned to the departure airport after practicing maneuvers for approximately 1 hour to practice full stop landings. Prior to entering the traffic pattern, he announced his intentions by radio to make a go-around on the first approach to runway 32, to "check wind drift and get the landing attitude." He believed the wind was 240 degrees at 6 to 8 knots, and that it was well within his "recent tail wheel experience." After the go-around, he continued in the traffic pattern and commenced a second approach with the intention of making a full stop landing. The touchdown was "normal," with no "excessive bounce," and he maintained directional control for the first few seconds. Moments later, the airplane ground looped, departed the side of the runway, and was substantially damaged. The pilot believed that he had not "pulled the power all of the way off," and that a "greater than normal" wind shift occurred as the rudder was becoming less effective.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the Cessna 195, during a familiarization flight with the airplane's owner, they returned to the departure airport after practicing maneuvers for approximately 1 hour to practice full stop landings. Prior to entering the traffic pattern, he announced his intentions by radio to make a go-around on the first approach to runway 32, to "check wind drift and get the landing attitude." He believed the wind was 240 degrees at 6 to 8 knots, and that it was well within his "recent tail wheel experience." After the go-around, he continued in the traffic pattern and commenced a second approach with the intention of making a full stop landing. The touchdown was "normal," with no "excessive bounce," and he maintained directional control for the first few seconds. Moments later, the airplane ground looped, departed the side of the runway, and was substantially damaged. The pilot believed that he had not "pulled the power all of the way off," and that a "greater than normal" wind shift occurred as the rudder was becoming less effective.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6381D
- Reported as
- Cessna 195
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7455
- Airframe hours
- 2,833
- Engine
- Jacobs R755B-2, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2006 · 7.61 hours before
- Departed
- W66 · Warrenton, VA
- Destination
- W66
- Airport
- W66 · Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, runway 32, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,498 total · 1 in this make and model · 9,612 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- HEF, 12 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.