Cessna 182 accident near East Ellijay, Georgia, October 16, 2024
On October 16, 2024 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N1242M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near East Ellijay, Georgia (Gilmer County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for winds during landing., which resulted in a loss of control and an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2024 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- East Ellijay, Georgia · Gilmer County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 P · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N1242M · registry record · serial 18264256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner stated that he checked the winds when he was more than 15 miles from the destination airport and again while established on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. He said the automated weather observing system (AWOS) reported the winds were from 020°at 9 knots “with no gusts” and that he was landing on Runway 03. When over the runway threshold, the nose dropped “due to a decrease in headwind” so the pilot initiated a go-around. After applying “full” engine power and while configuring the airplane for the go-around, an “extreme perpendicular crosswind from the west blew the airplane into the path of trees lining the runway.” The pilot said he pulled back on the yoke to clear the trees, the right wing stalled, and the airplane landed hard in a flat attitude resulting in substantial damage and igniting a fire in the engine compartment. Three of the four occupants egressed the airplane with minor injuries while one occupant emerged uninjured. The pilot reported there were no preimpact anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Examination of the AWOS information reported at the airport 15 minutes before arrival revealed winds from 020° at 11 knots gusting to 19 knots. At the time of the accident, winds were reported to be from 040° at 12 knots gusting to 19 knots.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 210 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 125 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,293 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 2023; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O470-S2B (piston); 1,240 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ALX Alexander City AL at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 03/2, 3,507 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from 49A
Weather report (METAR): K49A 161615Z AUTO 04012G19KT 10SM 12/02 A3031 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Gilmer County Ga Event Summary | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | 49A Airport AWOS Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | 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.
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 ERA25LA017.