# Accident 20251010019349A: Cessna 172G, Sandersville, GA, October 10, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 10, 2025, 20:13 local time
- Place: Sandersville, GA
- Airport: Kaolin Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9734° N, 82.8561° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9734&lon=-82.8561&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4390L, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4390L) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172G (registry code 2072420, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,437 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA012) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251010019349A

## Narrative

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

THE PIC STATED DURING HIS PREFLIGHT THAT SEVERAL OUNCES OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS. HE STATED THAT HE DRAINED THE GASCULATOR USING THE PUSH-PULL CABLE TO ACTUATE THE DRAIN VALVE BUT DID NOT COLLECT THE FUEL SAMPLE FOR INSPECTION. FOLLOWING THE PREFLIGHT, HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE RUN-UP CHECKS WERE NORMAL. DURING THE TAKE-OFF CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PIC LOWERED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED UNTIL CONTACTING TREES. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. DURING THE INVESTIGATION THE PRIMARY FUEL VENT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY BLOCKED WITH A MUD-DOBBER NEST, HOWEVER BOTH FUEL TANKS HAD VENTED FUEL CAPS INSTALLED. THE GASCULATOR WAS FOUND TO HAVE MIXTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL AND AVGAS. IT CONTAINED A JELLY-SLIME LIKE SUBSTANCE WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH ETHANOL’S ABSORPTION OF WATER. THE GASCULATOR BOWL AND FUEL SCREEN CONTAINED DEBRIS CONSISTENT WITH THE CORROSION FOUND INSIDE THE BOWL. THE GASCULATOR PUSH-PULL DRAIN CABLE WAS BINDING WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW OPERATION OF THE DRAIN VALVE. THE FLOAT CHAMBER OF THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED RUST AND A TRACE OF WATER.

## 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 ERA26LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA012), Oct 11, 2025: Cessna 172 (N4390L), Sandersville, GA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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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