Cessna 195A accident near Tucson, Arizona, January 12, 1998
On January 12, 1998 at about 8:58 pm local time, a Cessna 195A, registered N1073D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Ryan Field). 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 student's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors in this accident were the inadequate supervision of the flight by the flight instructor, and the student's failure to relinquish the aircraft controls in a timely manner.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1998 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Ryan Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195A · all 195As on the register
- Registration
- N1073D · no longer on the register · serial 7685
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI was instructing the student pilot on takeoffs and landings, which they had completed several uneventfully. The control tower advised them to change their landings to runway 24R, due to a wind shift. According to the student pilot, the winds were about 300 degrees at 8-10 knots, gusting to about 15 knots. They were rolling out from their landing when a gust of wind made the airplane turn to the right. The CFI stated that the student pilot responded quickly with the opposite rudder, with no apparent results. The flight instructor said he got on the controls and reached for the throttle to add power in an attempt to help regain directional control of the aircraft, however, 'the student's right hand was gripping the throttle tightly and I was physically unable to add power.' The airplane left the runway with a side load, which collapsed the left gear. The airplane dropped off into a 4-foot embankment and came to a sudden stop at the bottom of the embankment.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 24,500 as pilot in command; 8,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,897 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1997; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYN at 8:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24R, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:58 pm from RYN
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.
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.