Cessna 195 N195DD

Summary

On 25 November 2004 at about 21:01 local time, a Cessna 195 registered N195DD was involved in an accident near Kilmichael, Mississippi, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 November 2004 at 21:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Kilmichael, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

33.4767, -89.6347

Aircraft

Cessna 195

Registration

N195DD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ackerman → Winona

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA05FA035

2 people died.

The pilot's ostentatious display, flying at low altitude, resulting in collision with a static wire power line, in-flight loss of control, and collision with terrain. A factor in the accident was sun glare.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Friends and family members of the pilot stated the pilot and his son had dropped off the pilot's father, daughter, and niece, and were returning to Winona-Montgomery County Airport, Mississippi. The home of the pilot's in-laws resides nearby the airport. Witnesses at the in-law's house stated they saw the airplane fly over the house in a north heading, turn around and fly toward the house at a low altitude. The airplane's left landing gear collided with the power lines that span from east to west across the pond behind the house. The airplane nosed over and impacted the ground at the water line of the pond. The airplane cartwheeled between several trees before coming to a stop upside down in the backyard of the home. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Flight control continuity had been established from the cockpit controls to all flight control surfaces with the exception of the elevator tube assembly, which was observed, separated in an area of impact damage. The left main landing gear spring had an impact mark 1/2 inch wide on the leading edge with evidence of electrical arcing observed. The left main wheel assembly was separated from the left main landing gear spring. The 1453 weather conditions reported at Greenwood-Leflore Airport, located approximately 18 nautical miles west of the accident site, were calm winds, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 4 degrees C, dew point 3 degrees C, altimeter setting was 30.13 inHg. The U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Application Department observed the position of the sun at Winona, Mississippi, area at 1500 local time to be an altitude of about 18.7 degrees above the horizon and an azimuth of about 227.5 degrees. The accident airplane energy path was on an azimuth heading of 210 degree. The unmarked half inch diameter electrical wire that the accident airplane collided with spanned across the pond at an estimated height of 75 feet above the water line. The examinations of the engine and propeller, at certified repaired stations under FAA oversight, revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.