Cessna 172A accident near Stockbridge, Georgia, April 25, 2022
On April 25, 2022 at about 9:42 pm local time, a 1959 Cessna 172A, registered N7572T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Stockbridge, Georgia (Berry Hill airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during an unstabilized approach, which resulted in an impact with powerlines and a subsequent loss of control
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2022 · about 9:42 pm local time
- Place
- Stockbridge, Georgia · Berry Hill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A, built 1959 · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7572T · registry record · serial 47172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot said his approach to land was unstabilized. When the airplane was about halfway down the 3,000 ft-long runway and about 150 ft above the ground, the flight instructor took control of the airplane, added full power and attempted to go-around. The instructor said he retracted 10 degrees of flaps once he thought the airplane established a positive rate of climb; however, the stall warning horn sounded. He lowered the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed, but the stall warning horn continued to sound. To avoid powerlines and trees located off the end of the runway, the flight instructor turned to execute a forced landing on a road. He fully retracted the flaps, and the airplane clipped the power lines and impacted the road. The private pilot, who was an aviation maintenance technician, said the engine was operating normally and that the airplane just did not have enough airspeed and altitude to clear the power lines.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tower/antenna (incl guy wires) › Ability to respond/compensate
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 620 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 502 as pilot in command; 183 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 120 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 1, 1991
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,303 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KHMP, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KHMP 252155Z AUTO 25007KT 10SM SCT070 28/13 A3012
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA22LA204.