Cessna 172P accident near Jesup, Georgia, July 18, 2000
On July 18, 2000 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N51996, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jesup, Georgia (Jesup Wayne County airport). 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 failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff resulting in an excursion off the runway and collision with adjacent foliage. A factor in the accident was the student's decision to takeoff downwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2000 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Jesup, Georgia · Jesup Wayne County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N51996 · registry record · serial 17274392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, he had performed a full stop landing to runway 10 on his first solo cross-country flight, and was conducting his second leg takeoff roll on runway 10 when the aircraft began 'fish-tailing'. He retarded the throttle to stop the aircraft, but decided he had regained directional control, and reapplied power to resume his takeoff. He lost directional control a second time and his attempt to abort the takeoff caused him to depart the runway off the left side into adjacent foliage, resulting in a nose over. Witnesses stated the prevailing winds were down the runway from a westerly direction.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 37 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,489 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 21, 2000; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-DZJ (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JES at 9:45 pm
- Destination: BQK Glynco GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 4,920 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from AMG, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.