# Accident 20160911017399A: Cessna 172M, Covington, GA, September 11, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 11, 2016, 23:00 local time
- Place: Covington, GA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6119° N, 83.7300° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6119&lon=-83.7300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5283R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5283R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 146 total, 6 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA483](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA483) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160911017399A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

INSPECTOR RECEIVED CALL FROM THE ROC APPROXIMATELY 2300, AND ARRIVED AT SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 0100  THE PILOTS MISSION WAS TO TRAVEL FROM VALDOSTA (VLD) TO MONROE (D73), HIS FINAL STOP.

DURING HIS PRE-FLIGHT, HE CALCULATED FUEL BASED ON HIS FLIGHT PATH WITH 45 MINS OF RESERVED FUEL ON BOARD. HE ALSO PLANNED TO HAVE COVINGTON, GA. (CVC) AS HIS ALTERNATE AIRPORT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. DURING HIS VFR FLIGHT, HE WAS DIVERTED BY ATC (FLIGHT FOLLOWING) TO DUBLIN, GA. DUE TO WEATHER, THEN DIRECT ON COURSE TO HIS FINAL DESTINATION. DUE TO THIS DIVERSION, HE EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION APPROXIMATELY 8.3 NM FROM D73.

HE MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO CVC. UPON DIVERTING AND GLIDING THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 4+/- NM, HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON INTERSTATE 20.

UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT SUCCESSFULLY

WITHOUT DAMAGE TO HIMSELF OR OTHERS, HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE.

DURING THIS MANEUVERING, HE HIT A MILE MARKER SIGN THAT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED TO THE RIGHT WING AND FUSLAGE. TIME OF INCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 12:00 AM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA16CA483](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA483), Sep 12, 2016: Cessna 172 (N5283R), Covington, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

## Other reports on N5283R (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20260402005619I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260402005619I), Apr 2, 2026: Cessna 172M (N5283R), Monroe, GA, Minor damage. The student pilot who had met all requirements to perform his first solo flight departed off of the runway during the landing phase due to excessive vertical…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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