Cessna 172N accident near Perry, Georgia, July 30, 2010
On July 30, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1351E, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Perry, Georgia (Perry-Houston County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 clearance from a pole while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Perry, Georgia · Perry-Houston County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1351E · registry record · serial 17270965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had just landed and was taxiing to a tie-down area. He was maneuvering the airplane to the right, "to fit in the tie down area," when the left wing struck a wooden light pole, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing leading edge and spar. According to personnel at the airport, the light pole was approximately 7 feet from the paved portion of the parking area and approximately 31 feet from the base of the parking tee.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 191 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 114 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 144 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 9, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,055 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 31, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: HAB Hamilton AL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: PXE Perry GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from WRB, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.