Cessna 170B accident near Gainesville, Georgia, February 23, 2025
On February 23, 2025 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1952 Cessna 170B, registered N2480D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gainesville, Georgia (Lee Gilmer Meml 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane while landing in gusty crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2025 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Georgia · Lee Gilmer Meml · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B, built 1952 · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2480D · registry record · serial 20632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was landing with a 5 to 6 knot crosswind. During the landing rollout, the airplane began to drift to the right and when the heading deviation reached about 10°, the pilot elected to abort the landing. The windsock subsequently indicated a “more favorable headwind” and the pilot attempted a second landing; however, the airplane again drifted to the right during the landing rollout. The pilot’s remedial actions were unsuccessful. The airplane “ground looped” and sustained substantial damage to both wings. A 30° right crosswind with gusts up to 16 knots was reported at the airport about 30 minutes before the accident, and a 10° left crosswind with gusts up to 14 knots was reported about 30 minutes after the accident. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,663 hours in all; 9.7 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,535 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 21, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,351.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 1,664 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSVH Statesville NC at 6:22 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,496 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from GVL
Weather report (METAR): KGVL 231953Z AUTO 26010G16KT 10SM CLR 12/M05 A3014
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 ERA25LA139.