Cessna 195 accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 27, 1997
On March 27, 1997 at about 11:13 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N4666T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Cedar Rapids Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
overload failure of the left main landing gear for undetermined reason(s). A factor associated with the accident was the gusty crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1997 · about 11:13 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Cedar Rapids Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N4666T · no longer on the register · serial 7802
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the left main landing gear failed during the landing roll-out on runway 13, after the airplane had rolled about 500 to 1000 feet. The pilot said he was transitioning to a 3-point attitude and was applying left rudder and firm braking to maintain directional control, when the left main gear collapsed. The airplane rotated approximately 150 degrees prior to coming to a stop. Winds were reported as being from 180 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 20 knots. Inspection of the fractured gear failed to reveal any signs of preexisting damage or fatigue.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,730 hours in all; 355 in this make and model; 4,369 as pilot in command; 2,446 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,393 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1997; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755-B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7IA3 Marion IA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: CID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,450 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:20 pm from CID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4666T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.