Cessna 177 accident near Canton, Georgia, May 26, 1990
On May 26, 1990 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N2979X, was destroyed in an accident near Canton, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1990 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Canton, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2979X · no longer on the register · serial 17700379
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN IFR FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THERE WAS A CLOUD LAYER IN THE AREA WHICH BEGAN AT ABOUT 5000 FEET MSL, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED DUE TO HAZE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING A LEVEL ATTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ERRATIC CLIMBS AND DESCENTS WHICH BEGAN AT ABOUT 6200 FEET AND CONTINUED DOWN UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WITNESSES IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ERRATIC CLIMBS AND DESCENTS AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUD LAYER. THE STABILATOR TRIM WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE FULL NOSE UP POSITION.
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: 511 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 385 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8A4 Marietta GA at 12:46 pm
- Destination: PSK Dublin VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.