What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 26th at approximately 12:50 pm aircraft N6257E a Cessna 172 s/n 46357 departed Athens Municipal Airport (KF44) from runway 17 enroute to liberty, Texas with 3 people on board. Weather reported at 12:53 pm at the tyler airport which is 24 miles to the northeast was winds southwest at 12 mph, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 92 degrees fahrenheit, and the altimeter was 30.11. An eye witness at the departure airport state the the pilot "did not use all of the runway and pulled the aircraft off early". The witness state the aircraft was in ground effects and did not have sufficient airspeed to keep the aircraft flying. He also stated it appeared the aircraft would not clear the trees about one half mile off the end of the runway. The aircraft clipped several pine trees before crashing through several other trees and several utility cables coming to rest in a residential area. The crash site was approximately three quarters of a mile southeast off the departure end of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and there was one reported knee injury to the passenger in the rear seat. All three passengers walked out under their own power.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 26TH AT APPROXIMATELY 12:50 PM AIRCRAFT N6257E A CESSNA 172 S/N 46357 DEPARTED ATHENS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KF44) FROM RUNWAY 17 ENROUTE TO LIBERTY, TEXAS WITH 3 PEOPLE ON BOARD. WEATHER REPORTED AT 12:53 PM AT THE TYLER AIRPORT WHICH IS 24 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST WAS WINDS SOUTHWEST AT 12 MPH, VISIBILITY 10 MILES, SKY CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 92 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND THE ALTIMETER WAS 30.11. AN EYE WITNESS AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT STATE THE THE PILOT "DID NOT USE ALL OF THE RUNWAY AND PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OFF EARLY". THE WITNESS STATE THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN GROUND EFFECTS AND DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FLYING. HE ALSO STATED IT APPEARED THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE TREES ABOUT ONE HALF MILE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED SEVERAL PINE TREES BEFORE CRASHING THROUGH SEVERAL OTHER TREES AND SEVERAL UTILITY CABLES COMING TO REST IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE CRASH SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE SOUTHEAST OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WAS ONE REPORTED KNEE INJURY TO THE PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT. ALL THREE PASSENGERS WALKED OUT UNDER THEIR OWN POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.