Cessna 172M accident near Savannah, Georgia, March 23, 2003
On March 23, 2003 at about 11:53 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13591, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savannah, Georgia (Hodges Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudged the landing distance, landed with excessive airspeed, did not attempt a go-around resulting in the airplane going off the overrun, and colliding with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2003 · about 11:53 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Hodges Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13591 · no longer on the register · serial 17262864
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he made a night landing to runway 30 without runway landing lights. The airplane touched down 2,390 feet from the approach end of the runway, bounced, and touched down three more times before going into the overrun and colliding with several trees. The sod runway is 2,980 feet long.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,443 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2002; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VLD Valdosta GA at 11:35 pm
- Destination: GA39 Savannah GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,980 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from SVN, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.