Cessna 172N accident near Jekyll Island, Georgia, April 1, 1983
On April 1, 1983 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered CGYCY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jekyll Island, Georgia (Jekyll Island airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- April 1, 1983 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jekyll Island, Georgia · Jekyll Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- CGYCY · no longer on the register · serial 17267650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR, A CANADIAN CFI, REPORTED THAT THE CANADIAN STUDENT WAS OPERATING THE RUDDER PEDDLES WHILE HE, THE CFI, WAS HANDLING THE REMAINING ACFT CONTROLS. A SECOND STUDENT PLT WAS ALSO ON BOARD, OBSERVING FROM A REAR SEAT. AFTER TRAVELING APRX 800 FT ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE ACFT BEGAN TO DEVIATE TO THE LEFT. THE STUDENT INADVERTENTLY APPLIED LEFT RUDDER. THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO APPLY RIGHT RUDDER IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO AVOID STRIKING TREES APRX 200 FT LEFT OF THE RWY. AFTER DEPARTING THE RUNWAY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED ROUGH TERRAIN, WHICH CAUSED THE PLANE TO BOUNCE WHILE THE CFI WAS ATTEMPTING TO STEER BACK TO THE RIGHT. THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO BECOME AIRBORNE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. HE THEN PULLED THE POWER OFF TO IDLE BEFORE THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TREES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 245 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 142 in the last 90 days; 156 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,638 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 2, 1983; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.