Cessna 172M accident near Rabun Gap, GA
On October 24, 1997, a Cessna 172M (airplane) was involved in an accident near Rabun Gap, GA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 24, 1997
- Place
- Rabun Gap, GA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.950°N, 83.389°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09073
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 24, 1997, about 0942 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N1499U, registered to an individual, collided with trees and the ground on the southwest side of Rabun Bald, Rabun Gap, Georgia, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the private-rated pilot and 1 passenger were fatally injured. The flight last departed Athens, Georgia, the same day, about 0909. A person identifying himself as the pilot of N1499U called the FAA Flight Service Station at Gainesville, Florida, on October 23, 1997, about 2108. The person reported he was in Leesburg, Florida, and that he was planning a 0600 departure on October 24, 1997, for a visual flight rules flight from Leesburg to Franklin, North Carolina. The pilot was given a weather briefing and he stated he would check with Flight Service before departure. A person identifying himself as the pilot of N1499U called the Gainesville, Florida, Flight Service Station on October 24, 1997, about 0504. The pilot again reported he was planning a visual flight rules flight from Leesburg, Florida, to Franklin, North Carolina, via Athens, Georgia, departing after he finished the phone call. He was told that Athens was reporting clear conditions at that time with visibility two and one half miles with mist. He was told the forecast for Athens at his arrival time was a ceiling of 7,000 feet overcast with visibility 3 miles in mist and a chance of ceiling 3,500 feet broken with 2 miles visibility in m
Probable cause
The pilot's continued flight under visual flight rules into known instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain a safe altitude for terrain clearance resulting in the aircraft colliding with trees and the ground on the side of a mountain.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
- Cessna 208, Sep 29, 1985
- Beech 400, Dec 11, 1991
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Aug 21, 1995
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Apr 20, 1982
Browse: Georgia · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
