Cessna 195B accident near Great Barrington, Massachusetts, October 22, 1992
On October 22, 1992 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 195B, registered N4384N, was destroyed in an accident near Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT BY THE PILOT ENSURING FUEL CAP SECURITY. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOTS COMPLACENCY IN FUEL MANAGEMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1992 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Great Barrington, Massachusetts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195B · all 195Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4384N · no longer on the register · serial 7021
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH FUEL FOR 6 HOURS OF FLYING. DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PASSENGER DISCUSSED A POSSIBLE LOW FUEL CONDITION WITH THE PILOT, DUE TO THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATING ONLY ONE QUARTER FULL. THE POSSIBILITY OF LOW FUEL WAS REJECTED BY THE PILOT. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED 2 HOURS AND 50 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED WET FUEL STAINS ALONG THE RIGHT WING AND FUSELAGE OF THE AIRPLANE. FUEL SIPHONING, FROM THE RIGHT WING CAP, HAD OCCURRED ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS, AS RECALLED BY THE PILOT AND PASSENGER.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,684 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1992; 114 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HUL Houlton ME at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4384N 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.