Cessna 177 accident near Greensboro, Georgia, July 27, 1983
On July 27, 1983 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3493T, was destroyed in an accident near Greensboro, Georgia (Greene County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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 27, 1983 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Greensboro, Georgia · Greene County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3493T · no longer on the register · serial 17700793
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT-IN-COMMAND REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS VERY LOW ON FUEL & HE HAD 10 GALLONS ADDED TO EACH WING TANK BEFORE DEPARTING MADISON, GA. FROM MADISON, HE FLEW TO GREENSBORO, GA FOR SALES DEMONSTRTION FLTS. DURING THE 1ST DEMONSTRATION FLT, THE ACFT PERFORMED WELL, EXCEPT THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL BECAME JAMMED AT THE 'ON' POSITION DURING THE LANDING. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS FINALLY MOVED TO THE 'OFF' POSITION & A 2ND DEMONSTRATION FLT WAS BEGUN. DURING TAKEOFF ON THE 2ND FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER AT APRX 100 TO 150 FT AGL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, VIRTUALLY NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, CARBURETOR, ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP, MAIN FUEL STRAINER, FUSELAGE HEADER TANK OR ASSOCIATED LINES.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,059 hours in all; 513 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 972 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1981; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3J7 Greensboro GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from AHN, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.