On October 26, 1998, a Cessna 195 (registration N1003D) was involved in an aviation accident near Rugby, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground loop. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot lost directional control during landing, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway and strike a light before ground looping.
What happened
During the landing phase, the pilot noted that the aircraft was not aligned directly with the centerline of the runway upon touchdown. The airplane touched down slightly to the right side of the paved surface. The pilot acknowledged that insufficient right rudder input was applied during this critical moment.
As a result of the misalignment and inadequate control input, the aircraft departed the runway environment. It subsequently struck a runway light fixture. Following the impact, the airplane ground looped. The pilot attributed the incident to a loss of directional control.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground loop.