Cessna 172 accident near Palmetto, Georgia, August 24, 1990
On August 24, 1990 at about 10:42 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6173E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmetto, Georgia (South Fulton airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPERLY MAINTAINED CONDITION OF THE MAGNETOS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1990 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- Palmetto, Georgia · South Fulton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6173E · no longer on the register · serial 46273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND WHILE ESTABLISHED ON DOWNWIND, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS INCORRECTLY TIMED. ALSO, BOTH MAGNETOS WERE OBSERVED BREAKING DOWN DURING THE TEST RUN. THE PILOT (ALSO THE MECHANIC OF THIS AIRPLANE) REPORTED THAT THE MAG DROP ON THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS 500 RPM PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HE ELECTED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE AS A 'TEST HOP' TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM. WHEN A WITNESS SECURED THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, HE NOTED THAT THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS LOOSE AND FELL OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN HE TRIED TO TURN THE KEY. THE PILOT HAD NOT ACCOMPLISHED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN OVER FIVE YEARS.
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: 314 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 270 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1990; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 8A9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,690 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from ATL, 11 miles away
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.