Cessna 195 accident near Watkins, Colorado, January 10, 1994
On January 10, 1994 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N9355A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range 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 LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER. A FACTOR WAS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1994 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range · 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
- N9355A · no longer on the register · serial 7434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT IN COMMAND, WHO WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT, ALLOWED THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER TO MAKE THE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE MADE A NORMAL FULL STALL LANDING ON RUNWAY 08 INTO A DIRECT HEADWIND OF 6 KNOTS. AS THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED TO ABOUT 40 MPH, IT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER OVER CORRECTED AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT IN COMMAND SAID LATER HE 'WAITED TOO LONG' BEFORE ASSUMING CONTROL AFTER THE AIRPLANE BEGAN 'FISHTAILING.'
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYF St. Francis KS at 9:55 pm
- Destination: FTG
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DEN, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.