Cessna 195A N9855A

Summary

On 31 July 2023 at about 00:30 local time, a Cessna 195A registered N9855A was involved in an accident near Laconia, New Hampshire, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 July 2023 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Laconia, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Laconia Muni (LCI)

Coordinates

43.5730, -71.4178

Aircraft

Cessna 195A

Registration

N9855A

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Johnstown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ERA23LA318

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, which resulted in a ground-loop.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

In a written statement, the pilot said that he completed the final, 3-hour leg of a multi-leg cross-country flight and landed 1 hour after official sunset. The pilot described the landing as being a routine 3-point landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane in “perfect” weather conditions. He stated that, during the landing roll about 1,200 ft down the runway, the airplane “suddenly turned sharply to the right.” He applied full brakes but was unable to arrest the turn. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest with the left main landing gear folded beneath the fuselage, which was substantially damaged. The pilot initially reported a ground loop event, and then later stated the accident resulted from locked wheel brakes on either the right or left side, or perhaps a sheared left main landing gear attachment bolt. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. A secondary examination of the left main landing gear attachment hardware revealed damage and fracture signatures consistent with overstress. The pilot did not have any recent night flying experience.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.