Cessna 172D accident near Cumming, Georgia, January 27, 1989
On January 27, 1989 at about 8:43 am local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N2556U, was destroyed in an accident near Cumming, Georgia (Mathis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN ADVERSE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT NIGHT WITH AN INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND INSUFFICIENT FUEL RESERVE FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 1989 · about 8:43 am local time
- Place
- Cumming, Georgia · Mathis
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2556U · no longer on the register · serial 17250156
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD MADE A FLIGHT FROM HIS HOME AIRPORT TO AUGUSTA AND UPON RETURNING, HAD TO DIVERT DUE TO WEATHER. HE HAD DEPARTED AUGUSTA ABOUT 2315, LANDED AT PDK ABOUT 2400, AND OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FSS ABOUT 0122. THE BRIEFER INDICATED THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE IFR AND THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS 'INSTRUMENT' BUT THE PLANE WAS NOT (NO ATTITUDE INDICATOR). THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DEPARTED PDK FOR MCCOLLUM ABOUT 0245. AT 0306, ZTL RECORDED A CALL FROM THE PILOT THAT HE 'GOT INTO SOME SOUP AND WAS VFR'. HE INIDCATED THAT HE WAS NOT IFR QUALIFIED. AFTER SOME VECTORS, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE COULD SEE THE GROUND. HE WAS TURNED TOWARD PDK AT HIS REQUEST AND THEN RADIOED THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL. HE HAD INDICATED SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR 1 1/2 HOURS EARLIER IN THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. TOTAL TIME FROM INITIAL RADIO CONTACT TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS ABOUT 32 MINUTES. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND TREES.
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: 1,300 hours in all; 730 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA at 7:45 am
- Destination: 8A4 Kennesaw GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; not recorded at 900 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:44 am from FTY
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.