Cessna 195 accident near Ramona, California, July 28, 1986
On July 28, 1986 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N3899V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ramona, California (Ramona airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1986 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ramona, California · Ramona · 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
- N3899V · registry record · serial 7377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT OWNER STATED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO OBTAIN 5 HOURS OF TRANSITION TRAINING IN THE TAIL DRAGGER AND ACCOMPLISH A BFR. AFTER DEPARTURE THE CFI HAD THE PILOT PERFORM AIRWORK MANEUVERS ENROUTE TO THE RAMONA AREA. THE PILOT SAID THAT A LIGHT OIL FILM HAD DEVELOPED ON THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE AIRWORK AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND AT ROMONA TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD AND PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. INTENDING TO MAKE A THREE POINT LANDING, THE PILOT SAID THAT A 'SLIGHT BOUNCE OCCURRED ON TOUCHDOWN' AND THE CFI TOLD HIM TO ADD A LITTLE POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE COMPLIED AND THEN THE CFI TOLD HIM 'NO,' AND 'YANKED THE THROTTLE OFF.' THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER THE CFI REDUCED THE POWER THE AIRCRAFT 'WENT WILD AND TURNED SIDEWAYS.' THE PILOT FURTHER SAID THAT THE CFI 'GRABBED THE CONTROLS' AS HE REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S REPORT, THE CFI HAD ONLY 11 HOURS TOTAL IN THE CESSNA 195, WITH ONLY ONE HOUR ACCRUED IN THE PAST 90 DAYS.
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: 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: 5,200 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,931 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1985; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEE Gillespie CA at 4:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N3899V 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.