Cessna 177 accident near Athens, Georgia, January 24, 1982
On January 24, 1982 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N34975, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Georgia (Athens Municipal airport). It was a business 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1982 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Athens Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N34975 · no longer on the register · serial 17702127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ENROUTE REFUELING STOP ON 1/21 THE PILOT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING AROUND THE LEFT TANK CAP. AFTER ARRIVING AT SANFORD THE ACFT WAS REFUELED WITH APPX 50 GALS & A LOCAL FLIGHT OF ABOUT 12 MIN WAS FLOWN. THE ACFT HAS A USABLE FUEL CAPACITY OF 59 GALS. THE TANKS WERE NOT CHECKED AFTER THE LOCAL FLIGHT. ON 1/24 THE PILOT DEPARTED SANFORD FOR ATHENS,GA. HEADWINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED ENROUTE CAUSING A 30 TO 45 MIN DELAY IN ARRIVAL. WHILE DESCENDING FROM 6500 FT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER LANDING IN A SOFT MUDDY FIELD THE NOSE GEAR SHEARED & THE ACFT FLIPPED INVERTED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 156 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 117 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,414 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AHN Sanford FL at 11:50 am
- Destination: Athens GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 4,992 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.