Cessna 172 accident near Palmetto, Georgia, January 16, 1993
On January 16, 1993 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8226L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmetto, Georgia (South Fulton 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1993 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Palmetto, Georgia · South Fulton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8226L · no longer on the register · serial 56426
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING PRACTICE LANDINGS, AND HAD COMPLETED TWO LANDINGS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. ON THE THIRD LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AT MID FIELD AND BOUNCED. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCE, BUT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN AND ROLLED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 27 INTO A RAVINE. THE PILOT COMPLETED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND HAD TWO HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE CESSNA 172. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED.
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: 142 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,636 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 28, 1992; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300/D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gause Aviation Services INC.,
The flight
- Departed from: 8A9 at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,090 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from FTY, 12 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.
Other NTSB records under N8226L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.