Cessna 172P accident near Hampton, Georgia, August 23, 1999
On August 23, 1999 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55218, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hampton, Georgia (Clayton County-Tara Field). 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
Was the failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain directional control after touchdown following a bounced landing, resulting in the on-ground collision with a taxiway sign and the separation of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1999 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hampton, Georgia · Clayton County-Tara Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55218 · registry record · serial 17275137
- 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 he flew over the airport and noted that the windsock indicated that the wind was from 150-160 degrees at 10-12 knots. He initially intended on landing on runway 24 but elected to land on runway 06 after hearing another airplane advise that they were using runway 06. He turned onto final approach, performed a 360 degree turn for clearance with a departing airplane, and with the flaps extended 20 degrees, the airplane was landed long and bounced. The pilot further stated that while descending following the bounced landing, he felt the airplane 'shift' to the right. The airplane then touched down, rolled off the right side of the runway, and collided with a taxiway sign which separated the right main landing gear. He estimated that the airplane rolled off the runway 600 feet before coming to rest.
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: 170 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1999; 177 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Atlanta GA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 4A7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,503 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FFC, 12 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.