Cessna 172 accident near Baxley, Georgia, August 25, 1987
On August 25, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4275F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baxley, Georgia. 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 25, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Baxley, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4275F · registry record · serial 46175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE STUDENT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. THE STUDENT TURNED TOWARDS THE AIRSTRIP AND ATTEMPTED AN EMGCY LNDG. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AT 2000FT PAST THE THRESHOLD AND RAN OFF THE END OF THE RWY. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO COIL WAS CRACKED AND THERE WAS CORROSION INSIDE OF THE MAGNETO'S HOUSING. THE LEFT MAGNETO'S INTERNAL POINTS WERE NOT PROPERLY SET.
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: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,692 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1987; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ALM, 25 miles away
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.