Cessna 172 accident near Augusta, Georgia, October 28, 2019
On October 28, 2019 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 172, registered N80931, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Augusta, Georgia (Daniel Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to attain sufficient airspeed to climb out of ground effect, which resulted in a descent, loss of directional control, runway excursion, and impact with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2019 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · Daniel Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1976 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N80931 · registry record · serial 17266806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that he configured the airplane for takeoff and that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane reached 55 knots and ascended about 5 ft above ground level. The airplane descended back onto the runway and veered right. He applied left rudder and pulled the throttle to idle as the airplane exited the right side of the runway. He leveled the wings and locked the brakes, and the airplane impacted a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The student 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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 33.7 hours in all; 33.7 in this make and model; 9.8 in the last 90 days; 6.6 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,206.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 1,856 hours total
- Operator: Augusta Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: DNL Augusta GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: DNL Augusta GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from DNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2020. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | 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.