Cessna 172N accident near Perry, Georgia, February 19, 2008
On February 19, 2008 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N3015E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Perry, Georgia (Perry-Houston County 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2008 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Perry, Georgia · Perry-Houston County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3015E · registry record · serial 1721404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the airplane departed and flew for approximately 1 hour before returning to find stronger, gusting winds. He initially intended to do "some touch and go landings," but due to the wind conditions, he opted to end the flight with a single, full stop landing. Due to the gusts, the pilot made a go-around on his first approach. He used a reduced flap setting of 20 degrees for his second approach, and during the flare, a gust of wind caused the airplane to "balloon." The pilot attempted to recover by adding power, but the airplane landed hard, nose gear first, bounced, and then landed normally. The pilot taxied to the terminal without further incident. The pilot did not experience any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The weather observation at an airport 11 miles to the northeast, about the time of the accident, showed winds from 250 degrees, at 8 knots, with gusts to 16 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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 26 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,968 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Georgia Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PXE Perry GA
- Destination: PXE Perry GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from WRB, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N3015E 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.