NYC94LA177

Factual narrative

On September 10, 1994, at 1422 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 195, N3091B, operated by Elizabeth A. Copland-Leckey, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, ground looped while landing at Richmond Airport, Richmond, Virginia. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the flight was operated on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported the flight originated in Ann Arbor, with a fuel stop in Zanesville, Ohio. Upon arrival at Richmond, she was cleared for a visual approach to runway 2. In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated: ...I did not recognize my level of fatigue from a difficult and long flight. After beginning the approach...I found myself slightly low on final. With the addition of power to slow the descent, my final approach speed was higher than needed. The touchdown was fast, and the airplane bounced. I was unable to maintain direction control and the airplane groundlooped.... The pilot reported the winds as light and variable. The airplane was examined by FAA Airworthiness Inspector Bob Culberson, from the Richmond Flight Standards District Office. He reported the left wing was bent up about 4 feet from the tip and the left landing gear was ripped out and folded under the fuselage. In addition there were wrinkles on the left side of the fuselage. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an instrument rating. She reported her total time as 725 hours and 25 hours flown in the preceding 90 days. She reported her total time in the Cessna 195 as 60 hours, with 12 hours in the preceding 90 days, and 4 1/2 hours on the day of the accident. THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE PILOT REPORTED: ' . . . I DID NOT RECOGNIZE MY LEVEL OF FATIGUE FROM A DIFFICULT AND LONG FLIGHT. AFTER BEGINNING THE APPROACH . . . I FOUND MYSELF SLIGHTLY LOW ON FINAL. WITH THE ADDITION OF POWER TO SLOW THE DESCENT, MY FINAL APPROACH SPEED WAS HIGHER THAN NEEDED. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS FAST, AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED . . . ' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12