Cessna 414 accident near Greeneville, Tennessee, December 11, 2003
On December 11, 2003 at about 3:47 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N1592T, was destroyed in an accident near Greeneville, Tennessee (Greeneville-Greene County Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering in icing conditions on a circling approach for landing resulting in an inadvertent stall and collision with trees and terrain. A factor in the accident was a partial loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to activate the alternate induction air system, and exceeding the maximum landing weight of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2003 · about 3:47 pm local time
- Place
- Greeneville, Tennessee · Greeneville-Greene County Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N1592T · no longer on the register · serial 414-0372
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a circling approach for landing in instrument icing conditions. The landing gear were extended and the flaps were lowered to15 degrees. The alternate air induction system was not activated. The surviving passenger stated when the airplane came out of the clouds and the airplane started to buffet and shake. The pilot was heard to state on the UNICOM frequency by the fixed base operator and a lineman, "Emergency engine ice." The airplane was observed to make a 60-degree angle of bank and collided with trees and terrain. The Pilot's Operating Handbook states the airplane will stall at 129 miles per hour with the landing gear and flaps down at 15-degrees. The maximum landing weight for the Cessna 414 is 6,430 pounds. The total aircraft weight at the crash site was 6,568.52 pounds. Witnesses who knew the pilot stated the pilot had flown one other known flight in icing conditions before the accident flight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,845 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,721 as pilot in command; 2,840 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2003; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Saunders Advisory Group
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 2:15 pm
- Destination: GCY Greeneville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 6,302 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from GCY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.
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.