Cessna 172M accident near Marietta, Georgia, August 24, 1987
On August 24, 1987 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N64191, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marietta, Georgia (Nas Atlanta airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 24, 1987 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marietta, Georgia · Nas Atlanta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N64191 · registry record · serial 172 65076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME AIRPORT AFTER RECEIVING A NOTICE OF DISAPPROVAL FOR HIS PVT PLT PRACTICAL TEST. WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, HE NOTED A QUARTERING X-WIND & ELECTED TO USE THE CRAB METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DRIFT. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, HE REMOVED THE CRAB & TOUCHED DOWN IN A RIGHT DRIFT. HE SAID HE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER & THE ACFT COMPLETED A 360 DEG LEFT TURN (GROUND LOOP) ON THE RWY. THE PROP & RGT WING WERE DAMAGED DURING THE OCCURRENCE.THE 1402 WIND AT MARIETTA, GA WAS FROM 280 DEG AT 2 KTS.
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
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 36 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,225 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 12, 1987; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: 4A4 Cedartown GA at 5:35 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 10,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:02 pm from MGE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.