Cessna 195 accident near Chapel Hill, NC
On February 26, 1998, a Cessna 195 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Chapel Hill, NC. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 26, 1998
- Place
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.910°N, 79.150°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X09594
NTSB summary
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 inspect
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.
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Browse: North Carolina · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.