Cessna 195 accident near Newman, Georgia, August 10, 2017
On August 10, 2017 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1953 Cessna 195, registered N2100C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Newman, Georgia (Newnan Coweta County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper rigging of the tailwheel assembly, which resulted in a loss of directional control during takeoff. Contributing to accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane despite knowing it required excessive right rudder inputs for it to move straight ahead.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2017 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newman, Georgia · Newnan Coweta County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195 UNDESIGNAT, built 1953 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N2100C · registry record · serial 16085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to airline transport pilot, during the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left. The pilot tried to correct the turn without success, and the airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, struck a taxiway light, and then came to rest in grass adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The pilot reported that he had owned the airplane for about 1 month, during which time he observed that he had to continuously apply right rudder for the airplane to taxi straight ahead, which he thought was normal for that airplane. Examination of the tailwheel assembly revealed that, when the rudder pedals were centered, the rudder was also centered. However, the tailwheel remained in a left-turn position and required about 75% right rudder input to center the tailwheel, and with full-right rudder deflection, the tailwheel turned very little to the right. A review of the maintenance records revealed that maintenance, including the installation of a new upper mount assembly and a new tailwheel strut, was performed on the tailwheel assembly about 3 years before the accident. Given the pilot's report that he had always needed to apply right rudder for the airplane to taxi straight ahead, it is likely that the tailwheel assembly was improperly rigged following the previous maintenance.
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 takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 2016; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755A SERIES (piston); 540 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCO Newman GA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: CCO Newman GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from cco
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA17LA324.