Cessna 172N accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 10, 2004
On March 10, 2004 at about 2:57 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6257F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Mc Ghee Tyson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The CFI's inadequate in-flight planning/decision and his inadequate supervision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the inadequate preflight planning/preparation to ensure an adequate fuel supply, and the berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2004 · about 2:57 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Mc Ghee Tyson · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6257F · no longer on the register · serial 17273175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor, approximately 3 miles from the destination airport the engine began to "sputter", and then quit. The certified flight instructor offered to take control of the airplane to make the forced landing but the private pilot said he felt comfortable making the forced landing. The certified flight instructor allow the private pilot to make the forced landing in a open field. During the forced landing the airplane collided with a berm. The pilot's did not report any flight control anomalies prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the propeller was bent aft, the nose wheel broke off at the strut, and the fuselage was buckled. Examination of the fuel system revealed a small trace of fuel was found in the left and right fuel tanks, and no blockage was noted in the fuel lines. Review of the Cessna pilots operating handbook revealed in Section 7: the total usable fuel in standard configuration is 40 gallons with 3 gallons unusable. In long range configuration 50 gallons usable, and 4 gallons unusable.
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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 400 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 137 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 17, 2004; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: TYS Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from TYS, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N6257F 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.