On January 10, 1994, a Cessna 195 (registration N9355A) operated by Hoghland, Vohs, And Murphy was involved in an aviation accident near Watkins, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER. A FACTOR WAS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot in command allowed a pilot-rated passenger to land an airplane on Runway 08. During deceleration, the airplane drifted right; the passenger overcorrected, causing a ground loop. The pilot in command stated he waited too long to assume control.
Event Description
A pilot in command seated in the left seat permitted a pilot-rated passenger to perform the landing. The airplane executed a normal full stall landing on Runway 08 in a direct headwind of 6 knots. As the airplane decelerated to approximately 40 miles per hour, it began to drift to the right.
Overcorrection and Ground Loop
The pilot-rated passenger responded by overcorrecting, which caused the airplane to ground loop. The pilot in command later stated that he "waited too long" before taking over control after the airplane started fishtailing.
Pilot in Command Statement
In a post-event comment, the pilot in command acknowledged that he delayed intervention after the fishtailing began, indicating an excessive hesitation before assuming control from the pilot-rated passenger.