Cessna 172D accident near Athens, Georgia, May 17, 1986
On May 17, 1986 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N2592U, was destroyed in an accident near Athens, Georgia (Athens Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person 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
- May 17, 1986 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Athens Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2592U · registry record · serial 172-50192
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE RETURN FROM A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED OVER THE UNICOM THAT THEY WERE MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROACH AND WERE OUT OF FUEL. AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE NON-PILOT PASSENGERS REVEALED THAT PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT THEY DISCUSSED REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE PILOT WHO STATED THAT THEY HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE TRIP. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE CONFIRMED ONE TABLESPOON OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE MAIN FUEL SUPPLY LINE.
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: 160 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,018 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1985; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AHN Athens GA at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,989 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from AHN, 2 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.