Cessna 195 and Piper PA 44 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, December 11, 2016
On December 11, 2016 at about 4:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 195 (N195PC) and Piper PA 44 (N1221K), were involved in the same accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Executive At Crai airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to see and avoid the stationary airplane during taxi.
The other pilot’s failure to see and avoid the stationary airplane during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2016 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Executive At Crai · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 195 B, built 1954 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N195PC · registry record · serial 16140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA 44 180, built 1979 · all PA 44s on the register
- Registration
- N1221K · registry record · serial 44-7995295
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 195 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during taxi, he turned right to position the airplane to perform pretakeoff procedures, and the right wing passed over the running engine of a stationary airplane and struck the turning propeller. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, and the stationary airplane sustained minor damage. Both pilots reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with their airplanes 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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA 44 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during taxi, he turned right to position the airplane to perform pretakeoff procedures, and the right wing passed over the running engine of a stationary airplane and struck the turning propeller. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, and the stationary airplane sustained minor damage. Both pilots reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with their airplanes 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 for the Cessna 195 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 31,553 hours in all; 412 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4.5 in the last 30 days; 16,567 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 16, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,937 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,351 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755B2 (piston); 1,026 hours total
- Operator: Cardinal 19Pc LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Destination: TLH Tallahassee FL
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KCRG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA 44 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,647 hours in all; 712 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 1,532 as pilot in command; 1,189 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 215 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 138 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 19, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,605.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O360-E1A6D (piston); 8,056 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O360-E1A6D (piston); 13,290 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRG Jacksonville FL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N195PC 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.