Cessna 195 accident near Houston, Texas, June 23, 2008
On June 23, 2008 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N4426C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Houston, Texas (West Houston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control, causing the design stress limits of the airplane to be exceeded. Excessive sideloads incurred caused the right main landing gear wheel and strut to fail.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2008 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N4426C · registry record · serial 16011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he made a "smooth wheel landing" on runway 33. Touchdown speed was 80 mph. After the tail wheel settled to the ground, the pilot applied brakes and the airplane started veering to the left. The pilot attempted corrective action, but the airplane started to ground loop. The pilot said side loads on the right main gear caused the wheel to break off. The gear strut dug into the ground and it, too, broke off. The leading edge of the left wing was crushed from the tip to the root, both elevators were bent, and the firewall was wrinkled. The weather was clear and the winds were calm.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 308 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 288 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,115 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T82 Fredericksburg TX at 11:45 am
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,953 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from HOU, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N4426C 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.