Cessna 172 accident near Douglasville, Georgia, May 17, 1986
On May 17, 1986 at about 11:21 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6839A, was destroyed in an accident near Douglasville, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- May 17, 1986 · about 11:21 pm local time
- Place
- Douglasville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6839A · no longer on the register · serial 28939
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW ALT & CIRCLING SEVERAL HOUSES. THE PLT LANDED ON A GRASS STRIP, THEN AFTER A SHORT TIME, HE & HIS PASSENGER TOOK OFF AGAIN. THE ACFT WAS AGAIN OBSERVED CIRCLING SEVERAL HOUSES AT LOW ALT IN AN AREA NEAR THE STRIP. A WITNESS RPRTD THAT THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP TURN AT LOW ALT, & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES, THEN IMPACTED THE ROOF OF A HOUSE. THE ENG SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT & WENT THRU THE ROOF, BUT THE FUSELAGE BOUNCED OFF THE ROOF, HIT ANOTHER TREE, THEN FELL TO THE GND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT & PASSENGER SHOWED THEY HAD BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.17 GRAMS PERCENT (0.17%) & 0.132%, RESPECTIVELY.
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: student
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Douglasville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MGE, 16 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.