Cessna 172C accident near Ball Ground, Georgia, May 23, 2002
On May 23, 2002 at about 10:53 pm local time, a Cessna 172C, registered N1479Y, was destroyed in an accident near Ball Ground, Georgia (Pickens County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2002 · about 10:53 pm local time
- Place
- Ball Ground, Georgia · Pickens County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C · all 172Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1479Y · registry record · serial 17249179
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was an introductory flight lesson for the passenger in the left front seat. A witness who lived near the site of the accident stated that her attention was drawn to the airplane due to the sudden reduction in engine sound. She then heard the sound increase rapidly, followed by an impact and explosion. Examination of accident site revealed a 330- foot long wreckage path in a heavily wooded area. There were several freshly broken trees. Examination of aircraft revealed both wings were suspended in a tree adjacent to main wreckage and flight control cables broken in several locations.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,042 hours in all; 22 in the last 90 days; 890 as pilot in command; 603 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 4, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,579 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 2002; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-300 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JZP Pickens County GA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PDK, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.