# NTSB ERA26LA012: Cessna 172, N4390L, Sandersville, GA, October 11, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: October 10, 2025, 20:15 local (Oct 11, 2025, 00:15 UTC)
- Place: Sandersville, GA · in woods near kaolin mine property
- Coordinates: 32.973411, -82.856064 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9734&lon=-82.8561&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201843
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA012
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201843/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA012

## Preliminary report

On October 10, 2025, about 2015 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N4390L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sandersville, Geogia. The pilot was not injured and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. According to the pilot, maintenance had just been completed on the airplane, and the purpose of this flight was to take it back to the airport where the airplane was based. He performed a normal preflight inspection of the airplane and stated that the engine run-up was normal. The pilot also confirmed that he had used a measuring stick to check the fuel quantity. During the departure, he reported that the airplane left the ground, but about 250 ft above ground level, the engine rpm began to drop. The pilot attempted to quickly troubleshoot by “pumping” the throttle lever and verifying the fuel selector position. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude and impacted the tops of trees. A postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wing fuel tanks contained fluid that smelled and appeared visually consistent with automotive fuel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane contained avionics that were capable of recording airframe and engine data. These were retained for further examination and data download. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4390L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4390L), registered now, S/N 17254471, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (G)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17254471
- Year built: 1966
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Operator: Aero Science International LLC
- Registered owner: Aero Science International LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, January 3, 2025, 55 hours before
- Destination: AGS, Augusta, GA
- Airport: OKZ, Kaolin Fld, runway 31, 5,501 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KMLJ, 22 nm away
- METAR: METAR KMLJ 110115Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN070 19/15 A3011 RMK AO2=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20251010019349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251010019349A), Oct 10, 2025: Cessna 172G, Sandersville, GA, Substantial damage. 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…

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.

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