ATL97LA119

Factual narrative

On August 8, 1997, about 1520 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N757WL, collided with the ground after a go-around at the Herbert Smart Airport, Macon, Georgia. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The commercial flight instructor sustained minor injuries, the student sustained no injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed the Herbert Smart Airport about 1430. According to the FAA, the instructor and student were conducting crosswind landings on runway 33. The student was at the controls, attempting a landing on runway 33. The instructor reported that the approach was high and fast. The instructor then took over the controls to conduct a go-around. According to the FAA, in the attempt to climb and retract the flaps, the airplane stalled and descended into a residential area. According to the pilot, they had done four take-off and landings that day before the accident occurred. When approaching on final approach, the pilot "knew we didn't have enough runway to land" and initiated a go-around. According to the pilot, the flaps were at 30 degrees. He added power and raised the flaps to 20 degrees. He estimated the airspeed was 50 to 55 knots. The pilot stated during the go-around, "the airplane was not able to climb enough due to the strong crosswind". He decided to "pitch up to pass over the trees" and "the airplane stalled and [they] hit the ground". The pilot's operating handbook for the Cessna 152 states the stall speed with flaps at 30 degrees is 35 knots. A witness stated he saw the airplane come over the trees very low with the left wing down. The left wing struck a power line, and the airplane went straight into the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage, with the wing spars broken, the fuselage bent, and the firewall crushed. No mechanical malfunction was reported by the instructor. This was a training flight for crosswind takeoffs and landings. On the last landing, the airplane was approaching high and fast. The pilot believed there was insufficient remaining runway to land and initiated a go-around. While attempting the go-around, the airplane stalled and, according to a witness, collided with power lines and went straight into the ground. According to the pilot, the speed of the airplane was 50 to 55 knots. According to the pilot's operating handbook for the Cessna 152, the stall speed in the landing configuration is 35 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12