Cessna 152 accident near Cartersville, Georgia, October 27, 1998
On October 27, 1998 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48875, 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
Failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during landing resulting in the aircraft running off the left side of the runway and colliding with a parked aircraft. Factors in the accident were his distraction while raising wing flaps during landing roll which delayed correction of a left drift and his continued holding of aft control wheel forces during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1998 · about 7:00 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 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48875 · no longer on the register · serial 15281020
- 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 the landing flare and touchdown were normal. During landing rollout the aircraft began to drift to the left and he lost directional control. He stated he delayed correcting the left drift because he was retracting the wing flaps and that he also continued to hold aft control wheel pressure. The aircraft went off the left side of the runway, crossed over a taxiway in front of a taxing aircraft, and collided with a parked aircraft on the parking ramp.
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: 44 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,740 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 18, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlanta Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: MGE Marietta GA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PDK, 30 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.