Cessna 172G accident near Dalton, Georgia, November 4, 2006
On November 4, 2006 at about 9:40 am local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4368L, was destroyed in an accident near Dalton, Georgia (Dalton Muni 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 pilot's improper starting procedures, which resulted in an on-ground engine fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2006 · about 9:40 am local time
- Place
- Dalton, Georgia · Dalton Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4368L · no longer on the register · serial 17254444
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he made a short cross-country flight to drop off a passenger. After the passenger's baggage was unloaded, the pilot returned to his airplane to depart. During the restart of the engine, a small flame "shot" from the exhaust pipe. The pilot stated that [he] "thought the engine exhaust was overheated, and he was going to let it cool down". He waited approximately 10 minutes before attempting to restart the engine. The pilot stated that he made a visual inspection of the engine compartment, and everything was in proper working order. During the second attempt to restart the engine the exhaust pipe caught on fire. The pilot jumped out of the airplane and attempted to extinguish the fire, but was unsuccessful. The pilot attempted to push the airplane away from the flames, but they were streaming from the engine compartment. The stream of fire led to the engine compartment where the fire became intense, and consumed the airplane.
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: commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 2,750 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2006; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 8:00 am
- Destination: DNN Dalton GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 9:38 am from KDNN
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.
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.