Piper PA-12 accident near Cedar Springs, Georgia, October 17, 1992
On October 17, 1992 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2479M, was destroyed in an accident near Cedar Springs, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PRIVATE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALLING SPEED, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT, LOW ALTITUDE STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1992 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Springs, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2479M · registry record · serial 12-1556
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT AND A STUDENT PILOT PASSENGER WERE ON A LOCAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FLIGHT. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES TO THE CRASH, SEVERAL LOCAL RESIDENTS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING AT A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, AT SLOW SPEED, AND AT LOW ALTITUDE (80 TO 100 FEET AGL). THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A FLAT, OPEN COW PASTURE. IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS INDICATIVE OF STEEP, NOSE LOW IMPACT WITH THE GROUND (STALL). WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTY AT THE TIME, WITH SPEEDS UP TO 20 KNOTS.
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: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,330 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 23, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Harrells Aviation Service, INC
The flight
- Departed from: BGE Bainbridge GA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: BGE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from DHN, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL93FA012.