Cessna 195 accident near Kalispell, Montana, November 11, 2019
On November 11, 2019 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 1951 Cessna 195, registered N195BG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kalispell, Montana (Kalispell City 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and the left main landing gear collapsing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2019 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Kalispell City · 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 1951 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N195BG · no longer on the register · serial 7652
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after a bounced landing, he maintained directional control and conducted a three-point landing back onto the runway. Shortly after, the airplane gradually veered left, but he overcorrected, and the airplane veered right. He corrected with left rudder control and was able to maintain the runway centerline, but as the airplane slowed, it veered left again. He corrected with right rudder and right brake, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway and skidded sideways, and the left landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination by the pilot's mechanic revealed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,188 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 3,940 as pilot in command; 1,420 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: instrument airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs L6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S27 Kalispell MT at 7:40 pm
- Destination: S27 Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.53 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KGPI, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 28, 2020. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.