Cessna 172H accident near Somerville, Tennessee, May 13, 2003
On May 13, 2003 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N1748F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, Tennessee (Fayette County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged approach airspeed and distance which resulted in an undershoot of the runway and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2003 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, Tennessee · Fayette County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1748F · registry record · serial 17255143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on approach to land on runway 01, the airplane propeller caught a berm and undershot the runway 10 feet of the paved surface. Since repairs were underway from the edge of the runway-paved surface, several feet of dirt had been removed on the approach end of the runway. The pilot reported that the nose wheel collapsed and the airplane skidded in and stopped about 50 feet down the runway. Examination of the airplane showed a buckled fuselage, nose gear damage, firewall and propeller damage. No mechanical problems were revealed during the post-accident examination of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 790 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,500 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FYE Somerville TN at 3:10 pm
- Destination: Somerville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 4:58 pm from MKL, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1748F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.