# Accident 20260109000449A: Cessna 172P, Hinesville, GA, January 9, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 9, 2026, 15:39 local time
- Place: Hinesville, GA
- Airport: Wright Aaf (Fort Stewart)/Midc
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.8896° N, 81.5627° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8896&lon=-81.5627&mi=10
- Aircraft: N96493, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N96493) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172P (registry code 2072436, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,310 total, 204 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260109000449A

## Narrative

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

INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, LEFT AND RIGHT-WING SPAR AND ENGINE FIREWALL.  WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 15L AND BECAME AIRBORNE, THE PIC HAD MISTAKENLY PULLED BACK ON THE FUEL MIXTURE CONTROL KNOB THINKING IT WAS THE THROTTLE CONTROL KNOB. THIS ACTION BY THE PIC CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLIGHT.  THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE AIRCRAFT BUT DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE, HE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LOOK FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING SPOT. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE ROUGH TERRAIN CAUSED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE WHICH EVENTUALLY LED TO ADDITIONAL SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 ERA26LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA092), Jan 9, 2026: Cessna 172P (N96493), Flemington, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent manipulation of the mixture control, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb and a subsequent forced lading.

## Other reports on N96493 (1)

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

- [Accident 19920316006609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920316006609A), Mar 16, 1992: Cessna 172P (N96493), Helena/West Hel, AR, Substantial damage. Bounced and porpoised on gusty wind landing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.