Dehavilland DHC 1 accident near Cedartown, Georgia, October 12, 2017
On October 12, 2017 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1951 Dehavilland DHC 1, registered N323WG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cedartown, Georgia (Polk County Airport- Cornelius). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2017 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cedartown, Georgia · Polk County Airport- Cornelius · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC 1 UNDESIGNAT, built 1951 · all DHC 1s on the register
- Registration
- N323WG · no longer on the register · serial C1-0395
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the experimental, tailwheel-equipped airplane, when the tailwheel touched down during the landing roll, the right wing lifted, and the airplane veered to the left. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and continued about 100 ft down sloping terrain where it came to rest upright. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The pilot used a fire extinguisher from the airplane to spray the area of the smoke. However, the airplane continued smoking. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The pilot reported that the wind was calm at the time of the accident. The METAR nearest to the accident airport reported the same. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 157 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,518.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rols Royce Jipsy-Major (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Durashok LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SRB Cookeville TN at 2:50 pm
- Destination: 4A4 Cedartown GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 4,006 ft by 76 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KPUJ, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 2, 2018. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | 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.