Cessna 195 accident near Clinton, Arkansas, March 2, 2016
On March 2, 2016 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1949 Cessna 195, registered N3869V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Clinton, Arkansas (Holley Mountain Airpark 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 direction control during the landing roll, which resulted in runway excursion, and collision with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2016 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clinton, Arkansas · Holley Mountain Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195, built 1949 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N3869V · no longer on the register · serial 7330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll in gusty wind conditions, the airplane veered off the runway to the left, despite him "standing" on the right brake with full right rudder applied. The pilot further reported that he did not apply enough back pressure to enable the tailwheel steering to lock. The airplane ground looped, and slid into a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- 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 Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,940 hours in all; 37.2 in this make and model; 127.4 in the last 90 days; 47.5 in the last 30 days; 11,890 as pilot in command; 954.7 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 13, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,732.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755A-2 (piston); 2,381 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A5 Marshall AR at 9:20 pm
- Destination: 2A2 Clinton AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,795 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from KCCA, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.