Cessna 172M accident near Sylvester, Georgia, July 10, 1983
On July 10, 1983 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80329, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sylvester, Georgia (Sylvester airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- July 10, 1983 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Sylvester, Georgia · Sylvester · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80329 · no longer on the register · serial 17266523
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD ACCOMPLISHED TWO TAKEOFFS AND TWO FULL STOP LANDINGS. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON THE THIRD TAKEOFF RPM WAS LOST ABOUT THE TIME FOR LIFTOFF. HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. WHEN HE PULLED THE POWER/THROTTLE BACK TO IDLE AND PULLED THE CARBURETOR HEAT OUT, PLANE STILL WOULD NOT IDLE. THE BRAKES WERE GRABBING ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND HE COULD NOT STOP THE ACFT BY THE TIME HE GOT TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST AT THE BASE OF AN EMBANKMENT ABOUT 250 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 19.
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: 89 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 1983; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from ABY, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.