Cessna 172N accident near Cartersville, Georgia, December 6, 2002
On December 6, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5891E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cartersville, Georgia (Cartersville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control, during the landing roll resulted in the on ground collision with a ravine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Cartersville, Georgia · Cartersville · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5891E · registry record · serial 17271953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting a full stop landing, the student pilot flared left of the runway centerline, touched down on the runway and rolled approximately 50 yards into a ravine. The student pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to impact.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,456 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-L2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Marietta GA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: VPC Cartersville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,760 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KMGE, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5891E on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,678 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,683 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-L2AD 27,311 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Cartersville Airport · nearest airport
- Cobb County Intl/Mccollum Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Georgia 2,135 since 1982 · 360 in the last ten years
- Georgia 8,800 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL03LA024.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.