Cessna 172R accident near Cartersville, Georgia, March 8, 2001
On March 8, 2001 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N651MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cartersville, Georgia (Cartersville 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which resulted in the airplane veering off course and subsequent impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2001 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cartersville, Georgia · Cartersville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N651MA · registry record · serial 172-80897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated he was on an unsupervised solo flight, and had checked the windsock and "it switched from the north and the went back indicating from 270 degrees." At approximately 1/3 normal takeoff, with full right aileron deflection and right rudder, he experienced adverse yaw to the left. Rather then trying to abort the takeoff he attempted to salvage the takeoff. The airplane temporarily became airborne, he pulled the throttle to idle and attempted to stop… The airplane impacted in a shallow ditch filled with small trees. At the time of the accident the reported winds at the airport were variable at 5 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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 348 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 1, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VPC Cartersville GA at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,760 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from VPC
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.