Cessna 177B accident near Watkinsville, GA
On April 26, 2023, a Cessna 177B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Watkinsville, GA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 26, 2023
- Place
- Watkinsville, GA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.877°N, 83.423°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230426107153
Official records · ERA23FA209
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 26, 2023, about 1425 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N123DS, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Watkinsville, Georgia. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The fight departed Leesburg International Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida, about 1131 on an IFR flight plan to Barrow County Airport (WDR), Winder, Georgia. Approaching WDR, the pilot established communication with the Atlanta Approach (A80) air traffic controller while descending to 4,000 ft. The controller advised the pilot to inform him when he had the weather and the NOTAMS for WDR and for his approach request. The pilot requested the RNAV Runway 31 approach to WDR. The pilot advised the controller he had obtained the weather conditions at WDR. The controller subsequently instructed the pilot to proceed direct to the CADEB waypoint for the RNAV Runway 31 approach. For traffic management, the controller instructed the pilot to fly heading 040° for radar vectors to the final approach course. The controller then advised him to expect vectors through the final approach course for preceding traffic landing at WDR. The controller then instructed the pilot to turn right to heading 230°. The airplane was observed on radar descending from 4,000 ft and the low altitude alert activated. The controller issued a low altitude alert to the pilot and instructed him to maintain 3,000 ft. The pilot read back the altitude. The controller instructed the pilot to
Probable cause
The pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control, which resulted in an in-flight overload separation of the right wing during the uncontrolled descent.
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.
