Cessna 170 accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia, December 18, 1998
On December 18, 1998 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4105V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia (Gwinnett County-Briscoe 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1998 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Georgia · Gwinnett County-Briscoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4105V · no longer on the register · serial 18437
- 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 landed on runway 25 with a right quartering tailwind. As the gear touched down, the left wing started rising. He applied aileron to bring the wing down. Moments later the wing raised up again. He was not able to respond fast enough and lost directional control. He applied toe brakes instead of attempting a go-around. The airplane ground looped, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane collided with the ground. The winds at the airport were reported as 110 degrees at 7 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,550 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,446 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,990 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1998; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 19A Jefferson GA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: LZU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LZU
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.