Piper PA-22-20 accident near Villa Rica, Georgia, August 17, 1997
On August 17, 1997, a Piper PA-22-20, registered N5713Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Villa Rica, Georgia (Lucky Lairds airport). It was a personal 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
Inadequate runway maintenance by the pilot for allowing trees to be in close proximity of the runway and failure to maintain clearance from the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1997
- Place
- Villa Rica, Georgia · Lucky Lairds · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-20 · all PA-22-20s on the register
- Registration
- N5713Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-9552
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while landing on his own runway, he drifted off the left side of the mowed runway surface and as a result, the left wing collided with trees that borders the runway.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 432 in this make and model; 650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1997
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTJ Carrollton GA at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 1,000 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from ATL
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.