Cessna 195B accident near Winchester, Virginia, January 19, 2014
On January 19, 2014 at about 5:14 pm local time, a 1952 Cessna 195B, registered N1960C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Winchester, Virginia (Winchester Regional 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 attempt to avoid a deer on the runway, which resulted in loss of aircraft control, a runway excursion, and collision with a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2014 · about 5:14 pm local time
- Place
- Winchester, Virginia · Winchester Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195B, built 1952 · all 195Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1960C · registry record · serial 7919
- 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, during the landing roll, he noticed three deer enter the runway from his left. One of the deer stopped on runway centerline and the pilot stated that he steered the airplane to the right, missed the deer, lost control of the airplane, and departed the right side of the runway. The airplane collided with a runway marker sign. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during landing (landing roll)
- Abrupt maneuver during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,950 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 17, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2014; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,351 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755B SERIES (piston); 203 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRB Martinsburg WV at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KOKV Winchester VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,948 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KOKV
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 N1960C 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.