Cessna 195 accident near Pray, Montana, July 27, 1993
On July 27, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N9836A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pray, Montana (Flying Y Airstrip 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 PIC FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND WEATHER CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pray, Montana · Flying Y Airstrip · 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
- N9836A · registry record · serial 1957529
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON RWY 3, AND THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RWY DURING GROUND ROLL AND IMPACTED A DITCH. THERE WAS A LIGHT WIND FROM THE SOUTH AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 1,960 hours in all; 507 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,807 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MBG Mobridge SD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 3, 6,000 ft by 20 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from LVM, 18 miles away
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.
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.