Cessna 172M accident near Jonesboro, Georgia, April 29, 1990
On April 29, 1990 at about 8:03 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20302, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jonesboro, Georgia (South Expressway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND INFLIGHT PLANNING, AND HIS DELAYED CLIMB AFTER EXECUTION OF A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE HIS MISREADING OF AIRFIELD WIND INFORMATION, HIS IMPROPER UTILIZATION OF THE FLAPS DURING CLIMBOUT, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RECOMMENDED AIRSPEED, AND THE SUBSEQUENT STALLING OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1990 · about 8:03 pm local time
- Place
- Jonesboro, Georgia · South Expressway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20302 · no longer on the register · serial 17261175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER EXECUTING A GO-AROUND, THE PRIVATE PILOT STALLED THE AIRPLANE AND IT CRASHED INTO A NEARBY HOUSE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITH A TAILWIND OF ABOUT TEN KNOTS, A 2.2 DEGREE UPSLOPING RUNWAY, AND 60 FOOT TALL TREES LOCATED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THAT THE PILOT DELAYED HIS CLIMBOUT AND PREMATURELY RAISED THE FLAPS DURING THE GO-AROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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: 256 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 209 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 1989; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Atlanta GA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 9A7 Jonesboro GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 2,980 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from ATL, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.