Cessna 172M accident near Savannah, Georgia, May 23, 2008
On May 23, 2008 at about 4:22 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73471, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah/Hilton Head Int airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 on landing touchdown with a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2008 · about 4:22 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah/Hilton Head Int · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73471 · no longer on the register · serial 17267487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was en route on a cross country visual flight rules flight to Florida. He encountered some weather and elected to divert to Savannah, Georgia. He was cleared to land on runway 36 with a left crosswind. The airplane bounced on touchdown and he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane touched back down on the runway, went off the right side of the runway, collapsed the left main landing gear, and received structural damage to the left wing. The pilot stated there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The surface winds at the airport were 220-degree at 5 knots and no wind gusts.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 640 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 533 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,543 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRBW Walterboro SC at 2:30 pm
- Destination: KSAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:36 pm from KSAV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.