Cessna 172K accident near Cornelia, Georgia, March 22, 2007
On March 22, 2007 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N46567, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cornelia, Georgia (Habersham County 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 failure of the owner/operator to repair or replace a known leaking brake system components resulting in a total loss of brakes while taxing and an on-ground collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2007 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cornelia, Georgia · Habersham County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N46567 · registry record · serial 17257355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off a taxiway and collided with trees after landing. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated he was conducting a training flight with a new student. A preflight inspection was completed and no anomalies were noted except for a low nose wheel tire which was corrected. They departed the airport and flew north of the airport and completed some air work before returning back to the airport to do some landings. The student pilot made a normal landing to runway 24. The CFI felt the student pilot apply some brakes and informed the student pilot to maintain directional control with the rudder only. The student pilot complied with his instructions, taxied the airplane to the end of runway 24, and turned left onto the taxiway. Another airplane was on the parallel to the runway 24 taxiway. The CFI instructed the student pilot to stop the airplane after clearing the runway. The airplane went further than the CFI wanted it to go and the CFI instructed the student pilot to apply brakes. The CFI applied brakes and the airplane would not stop. The CFI applied the emergency brake and the airplane would not stop. The CFI pulled the mixture to the cut off position and attempted to stop the airplane on the lip of the edge of the taxiway. The airplane did not stop and went down an embankment and collided with some trees. The registered owner and operator of the airplane informed the FAA that the brake system had been serviced a week before the accident by adding brake fluid to the brake system. Review of the airframe logbook revealed no entry had been entered into the logbook pertaining to the servicing of the brake system. A functional test of the brake system was performed by the FAA inspectors who tried to push the airplane with the parking brake engaged. In addition, one FAA inspector got in the airplane's left front seat and applied brakes and then in the right front seat and applied brakes as the other FAA pushed the airplane, and the airplane continued to move in each test. The brake pads and rotors were visually inspected and no anomalies were noted. Visual inspection of the master cylinder found that brake fluid was leaking onto the exterior of the master cylinder components, as evidenced by the staining of dried hydraulic fluid. The carpet near the pilot's (left front seat) rudder pedals were saturated with brake fluid and there were indications of some recently spilled brake fluid which had a reddish color. In addition, brake fluid stains that were brownish in color were observed.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,475 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,257 as pilot in command; 230 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,981 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-ECD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAJR Cornelia GA at 9:50 pm
- Destination: KAJR Cornelia GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KGVL, 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.
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.