Cessna 195B accident near Porterville, California, October 7, 1988
On October 7, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 195B, registered N2141C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Porterville, California (Poeterville airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- October 7, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · Poeterville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195B · all 195Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2141C · no longer on the register · serial 16126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT. WHEN THE PILOT CORRECTED TO THE RIGHT, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 12,200 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 23 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: Tulare CA
- Destination: PTV Porterville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,000 ft by 146 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.