Cessna 172N accident near Statesboro, Georgia, April 3, 2004
On April 3, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4874G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesboro, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to establish a positive climb and his failure to maintain clearance during a go-around, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. A factor was the gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Statesboro, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4874G · no longer on the register · serial 17273421
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During approach to the private airstrip, the pilot initiated a go-around, and the airplane did not climb. The pilot stated it felt like the headwind decreased, and the airplane did not gain enough airspeed for the climb. He stated he lowered the nose to gain airspeed and turned to the right to avoid trees. The airplane struck trees with its right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the airplane. The nearest weather observation station, Statesboro, Georgia, reported at 1400 winds were from 290 degrees at 6 knots with gusts to 17 knots, and at 1420 winds were from 300 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 22 knots.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,186 hours in all; 865 in this make and model; 223 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 813 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTBR Statesboro GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4874G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.