Cessna 195A accident near Laconia, New Hampshire, July 31, 2023
On July 31, 2023, a 1950 Cessna 195A, registered N9855A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Laconia, New Hampshire (Laconia Muni 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, which resulted in a ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2023
- Place
- Laconia, New Hampshire · Laconia Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195A, built 1950 · all 195As on the register
- Registration
- N9855A · registry record · serial 7548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a written statement, the pilot said that he completed the final, 3-hour leg of a multi-leg cross-country flight and landed 1 hour after official sunset. The pilot described the landing as being a routine 3-point landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane in “perfect” weather conditions. He stated that, during the landing roll about 1,200 ft down the runway, the airplane “suddenly turned sharply to the right.” He applied full brakes but was unable to arrest the turn. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest with the left main landing gear folded beneath the fuselage, which was substantially damaged. The pilot initially reported a ground loop event, and then later stated the accident resulted from locked wheel brakes on either the right or left side, or perhaps a sheared left main landing gear attachment bolt. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. A secondary examination of the left main landing gear attachment hardware revealed damage and fracture signatures consistent with overstress. The pilot did not have any recent night flying experience.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,941 hours in all; 953 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 16,098 as pilot in command; 207 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 18, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,370.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 2023; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755S (piston); 3,365 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NYQ Johnstown NY at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,890 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from LCI, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLCI 302056Z AUTO 28008G14KT 10SM CLR 23/11 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP120 T02330106 55000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 4, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Email Correspondence Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Materials Laboratory | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.