Cessna 172R accident near Atlanta, Georgia, December 26, 2003
On December 26, 2003 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N26486, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Dekalb-Peachtree airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing. A factor is lack of total experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2003 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Dekalb-Peachtree · 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 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N26486 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the student pilot's first unsupervised solo, he landed the airplane hard on runway 20L, and veered off the left side of runway surface into the grass. The nosegear collapsed. The student pilot reported that while descending fast on final approach, he landed the airplane "flat" and veered of the runway. Review of the pilot logbook showed that the student pilot had accumulated a total of 15 flight hours over a time period of a year. The student pilot prior to the accident reported no flight control or mechanical problems.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,063 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 2003; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360/L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,144 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PDK
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.
Other NTSB records under N26486 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.