Cessna 172P accident near Lawrencevile, Georgia, August 19, 1990
On August 19, 1990 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5354Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrencevile, Georgia (Gwinnett County 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1990 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrencevile, Georgia · Gwinnett County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5354Q · no longer on the register · serial 17274776
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE AT 7500 FEET MSL. THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT MAIN TANK, ATTEMPTED RESTART WITHOUT SUCCESS AND WAS COMMITTED TO A FORCED LANDING. DURING ROLLOUT ON SOFT TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE PITCHED FORWARD ON THE NOSE WHEEL AND LEFT WINGTIP TO AN INVERTED POSTION, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURY; THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY. THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK AND RIGHT MAIN TANK CONTAINED FUEL; THE LEFT MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY UPON INSPECTION. TEST AFFIRMED TRANSFER AND ENGINE OPERATION GIVEN FUEL. NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCY WAS FOUND TO ACCOUNT FOR POWER LOSS.
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: 79 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 38 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,689 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LZU at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,012 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from FTY, 30 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.
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.