Cessna 172A accident near Villa Rica, Georgia, April 13, 1990
On April 13, 1990, a Cessna 172A, registered N7677T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Villa Rica, Georgia (Stockmar airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE, INITIATED BY THE COMBINATION OF A BLOCKED FUEL TANK VENT LINE AND A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL FILLER CAP. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, IN THAT HE DID NOT DETECT THE FUEL VENT LINE BLOCKAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1990
- Place
- Villa Rica, Georgia · Stockmar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7677T · no longer on the register · serial 20461-D-5-C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PILOT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE DURING A GO AROUND ATTEMPT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND NOSED OVER. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT A WASP HAD BUILT A MUD NEST ON THE LEFT WING IN THE AREA OF THE FUEL TANK VENT OPENING. THE VENT LINE WAS FOUND TO BE OBSTRUCTED BY DIRT. ALSO, THE RIGHT FUEL TANK FILLER CAP WOULD NOT VENT PROPERLY WHEN TESTED. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: 178 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 123 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm 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.