Cessna 172M accident near Roberta, Georgia, October 27, 2022
On October 27, 2022 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 172M, registered N4349R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Roberta, Georgia (Gentle Landings Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach speed on landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with logs.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2022 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Roberta, Georgia · Gentle Landings Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1974 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N4349R · registry record · serial 17263100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was too high on approach to land, so he lowered the flaps and reduced power to idle. He said his groundspeed “seemed a little high” prior to touching down but he continued to land on the 3,500 ft long grass runway. The braking effectiveness on the grass was not good, but the pilot said it was “too late” to go around. The airplane went off the end of the runway and collided with a pile of logs, which resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing spar.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,795 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,197 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2021; 24.9 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OPN Thomaston GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,500 ft by 125 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KOPN, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOPN 271735Z AUTO 11006KT 10SM CLR 24/09 A3010 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 7, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Summary of Email - Pilot Statement to FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Summary of Email - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Written Statement - FAA Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.