Cessna 172M accident near 9Nm NW Quitman, Georgia, October 31, 1982
On October 31, 1982 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N8977V, was destroyed in an accident near 9Nm NW Quitman, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was 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
- October 31, 1982 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- 9Nm NW Quitman, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8977V · no longer on the register · serial 17264333
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT A LITTLE ABOVE THE TREE TOPS PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH A HIGH VOLTAGE TENSION WIRE. THE TWO PASSENGERS (AGES 10 & 11) WERE SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, BOTH USING THE SAME SEAT BELT. THE SURVIVING PASSENGER STATED THEY HAD REQUESTED THE PLT TO FLY AN "UP & DOWN FLIGHT PATH" WHICH THE PLT HAD PERFORMED ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS TO THRILL THE BOYS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL DURING THE ALTITUDE CHANGES BUT MIGHT HAVE SPUTTERED THE LAST TIME THEY WERE GOING UP. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITION TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS NOT RUPTURED. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE IWNG ROOT & THERE WAS NO FIRE DAMAGE OF THE WING ROOT NOTED ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT WING ROOT WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 8 FT FROM THE FIRE RIDDEN CABIN AREA. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUELSPILLAGE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE RIGHT WING. THE MECHANIC WHO LOADED THE RIGHT WING ON A TRUCK BED OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 1 PINT OF FUEL SPILL OUT OF THE RIGHT WING ROOT. THE ACFT'S FLT PATH WAS FACING THE SUN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,091 hours in all; 107 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,736 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Quitman GA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: Thomasville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 169°F (76°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from VLD, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.