Cessna 177B accident near Fort Gaines, Georgia, August 6, 1989
On August 6, 1989, a Cessna 177B, registered N35131, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Gaines, Georgia (Ft Gaines-Clay CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH TREES ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1989
- Place
- Fort Gaines, Georgia · Ft Gaines-Clay CO.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N35131 · no longer on the register · serial 177-02226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE TO CALM AN UPSET CHILD WHO WAS ON HIS FIRST AIRPLANE RIDE. AFTER THE CHILD HAD BEEN CALMED THE AIRPLANE WAS REBOARDED AND A DEPARTURE ATTEMPTED FROM THE GRASS STRIP ON RUNWAY 19. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST AT ONE KNOT. THE NEAREST WX REPORTING FACILITY, 40 NMI EAST, REPORTED THE WIND AS 240 DEGREES AT FIVE KNOTS. AFTER LIFT OFF THE AIRPLANE SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY, THEN LIFTED OFF AGAIN. AT THE SECOND TAKE OFF THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DRIFT RIGHT, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, AND HIT A TREE WITH THE RIGHT WING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 347 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 295 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71J Ozark AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,837 ft by 77 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from ABY, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N35131 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.