Casualties unknown

1998-02-26: Cessna 195 (N4356V) — Chapel Hill, NC

Chapel Hill, NC, US

On February 26, 1998, a Cessna 195 (registration N4356V) was involved in an aviation accident near Chapel Hill, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during a go-around, followed by his failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to avoid trees, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

During landing, the aircraft bounced, and after touching down again, it veered left. The pilot initiated a go-around but lost sight of runway lights, drifted right toward trees, turned left, dropped a wing, and crashed.

Incident Overview

According to the official investigation, the accident occurred during a landing attempt. The aircraft bounced upon initial touchdown. When it touched down again, the pilot observed that the aircraft had deviated approximately 30 degrees to the left of runway heading and was drifting toward the left side of the runway. The pilot then initiated a go-around.

Sequence of Events

As the aircraft lifted off during the go-around, the pilot lost visual contact with the runway lights. Subsequently, the pilot noticed the aircraft had drifted to the right and was approaching trees. The pilot turned back to the left; the left wing dropped, and the aircraft descended and crashed into the ground.

Postcrash Examination

Postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, engine, or propeller. Additionally, the runway lights were found to operate normally after the accident.

Pilot Qualifications

The investigation determined that the pilot did not have a current FAA medical certificate, as it had been denied. Furthermore, the pilot did not meet FAA night recency of experience requirements.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X09594. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.