Cessna 172R accident near Savannah, Georgia, August 8, 1999
On August 8, 1999 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N9514Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah International 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
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during a touch-and-go landing, resulting in the airplane running off the runway and colliding with a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1999 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N9514Q · no longer on the register · serial 17280397
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On his second touch and go landing, the student pilot landed left of runway centerline and despite efforts to steer toward the centerline while on the 'go', the airplane continued a left veer until departure from the runway, collision with a runway edge sign, and collision with an intersecting runway. Inspection by FAA personnel revealed no precrash mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane's flight control or braking systems, and damage was caused by the sign collision.
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: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 597 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1999; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 9,351 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 82°F (28°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from SAV
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.