Cessna 152 accident near Americus, Georgia, April 23, 2013
On April 23, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757GX, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Americus, Georgia. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s delayed decision to terminate the practice approach during a simulated loss of engine power maneuver, which resulted in an inadvertent collision with utility wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Americus, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757GX · registry record · serial 15279739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were returning to the airplane’s home airport near the conclusion of a cross-country flight, when the pilot elected to perform a simulated loss of engine power and subsequent practice approach to a farm field. During the approach, the pilot descended the airplane to about the height of the irrigation system installed in the field, when he noticed a “glint of light” and instinctually applied full power, increased pitch, and rolled the airplane right. The airplane then contacted a utility wire, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot subsequently returned to the destination airport and landed uneventfully. When enumerating the factors that contributed to the accident, the pilot noted that his “…decision to continue the approach as long as I did also played a role.” The pilot also reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 25, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,068 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 31, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSCJ Americus GA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: KPXE Perry GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 ERA13CA230.