Cessna 172M accident near Griffin, Georgia, December 2, 1988
On December 2, 1988 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N92388, was substantially damaged in an accident near Griffin, Georgia (Griffin Spalding CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- December 2, 1988 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Griffin, Georgia · Griffin Spalding CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N92388 · no longer on the register · serial 17261571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A PREFLIGHT AND RUNUP THE PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF AND REMAINED IN CLOSED TRAFFIC FOR LANDING PRACTICE. ON DOWNWIND, OPPOSITE THE DESIRED POINT OF TOUCHDOWN, HE RETARDED POWER, APPLIED CARB HEAT AND SLOWED THE AIRPLANE. TURNING BASE, THE ACFT LOST POWER. THE PILOT SELECTED A SITE FOR THE FORCED LANDING AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING. THE PRIMER WAS FOUND IN THE FULL OUT POSITION AND THE LEFT FUEL CAP WAS MISSING. TWO CYLINDERS HAD THE BOTTOM PLUGS FOULED BY RAW FUEL. THE PLT HAD RENTED THE 172 TO PRACTICE FOR HIS BFR WHICH WAS DUE BY THE END OF THE MONTH. THE PILOT'S PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN ISSUED IN DECEMBER 1986.
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: 65 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,369 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1988; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Syndrome Fighters, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from ATL, 26 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.
Other NTSB records under N92388 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.