Cessna 172RG incident near Chamblee, Georgia, May 11, 2004
On May 11, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6562V, was involved in an incident near Chamblee, Georgia (Peachtree Dekalb Airport). It was an instructional 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 fatigue fracture of the nosewheel bungee assembly, which restricted the movement of the elevator control. A factor was the inadequate equipment from an unknown source/manufacturer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · Peachtree Dekalb Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6562V · registry record · serial 172RG0775
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor reported full nose-down elevator deflection could not be achieved in cruise flight. The flight returned to the airport and landed without further incident. Examination revealed the threaded shaft of the nose gear steering bungee assembly was fractured, and the damaged component physically restricted the movement of the elevator control assembly. Metallurgical examination of the shaft revealed fatigue fractures in two locations with no evidence of hardness anomaly and no evidence of improper lubrication. Examination of the profile of the thread relief area of the shaft revealed the region was irregular and asymmetric, and a number of machining grooves were of smaller radii than the 0.050-inch radius specified in Cessna technical drawings. The shaft was absent of identifying markings or a part number, and maintenance logs for the airplane revealed no record of repair or replacement of the component. Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive (AD) 81-14-06 for the Cessna 172RG requires the replacement of part number 2467003-1 rudder trim/nose gear steering bungee with part number 2467003-6 rudder trim/nose gear steering bungee. Cessna Service Letter SE 80-99 states the new steering bungee part number 2467003-6 "includes a larger diameter jack screw shaft providing substantially greater unit strength and longer service life." Both the AD and the Service Letter are applicable to Cessna 172RG airplanes serial numbers 172RG0001 through 172RG0769. The incident airplane was serial number 172RG0775.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 21, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,999.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2004; 79.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KPDK Chamblee GA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: KPDK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from KLZU, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N6562V 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.