Cessna 170 accident near Hartwell, Georgia, September 9, 1995
On September 9, 1995 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N8233E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartwell, Georgia (Lake Hartwell 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 TAKEOFF ROLL AND FAILURE TO TAKE APPROPRIATE REMEDIAL ACTION. A FACTOR WAS TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1995 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hartwell, Georgia · Lake Hartwell Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N8233E · no longer on the register · serial 26802
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway and collided with trees. According to the pilot, before the collision with the trees, he attempted to correct the drift by adding left rudder. Examination of the aircraft failed to disclose a mechanical problem or system malfunction.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 210 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,556 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 19, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: NONE Peachtree City GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 024° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from AND, 7 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.