Cessna 172RG accident near Roberta, Georgia, May 17, 1998
On May 17, 1998 at about 6:16 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6562V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roberta, Georgia (Roberta Industrial 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 inadequate compliance with the emergency procedures for his failure to completely pump the main landing gear into the down and locked position. Contributing to the accident was the reported loss of electrical power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1998 · about 6:16 pm local time
- Place
- Roberta, Georgia · Roberta Industrial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6562V · registry record · serial 172RG0775
- 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 during the flight, the electrical system failed. He attempted to restore electrical power using the emergency procedures but was unable. He pumped the landing gear down using 30 pumps of the handle to the point where he heard and it felt like the landing gear was extended. He elected to land at a nearby grass runway and the airplane touched down about 1,800 feet down the 3,700 foot runway. During the landing roll the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. Shortly after the accident the master switch was turned on and power was available to raise and lower the flaps. Additionally, during repair of the airplane following the accident no maintenance was performed or required to the electrical system or to the right main landing gear assembly. According to the emergency procedures section of the airplane information manual, the emergency hand pump is to be pumped until resistance is heavy-about 35 cycles.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,011 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: ACJ Americus GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MCN, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N6562V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.