NTSB ERA25LA036 — 2024-10-31 · Bethel, Pennsylvania, United States

Current FAA registration · N3083B

Make / Model: CESSNA 195A
Year of manufacture: 1952 · 72 years old at event
Engine: JACOBS L4 /R755-7 (245 hp)
Seats / Engines: 5 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19550816
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A33FCD

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3083B Cessna 195A Minor

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot had just completed tailwheel/high performance training and had been signed off by the flight instructor. The pilot stated he wanted to go for another flight to fine-tune his flying skills, and the flight instructor went along with him. The pilot, who was acting as the pilot-in-command, said he made a successful tail wheel-landing, followed by a three-point landing. During the three-point landing, the airplane bounced and veered to the left. The pilot said he tried to correct to the right, but the airplane subsequently ground looped. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and the left wing. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_ERA25LA036.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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