Cessna 152 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, January 17, 2005
On January 17, 2005 at about 5:57 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24218, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of fuel system blockage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2005 · about 5:57 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N24218 · registry record · serial 15280156
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructional flight was approximately three miles south of the destination airport at 1600 feet when it was cleared to land on runway 2R. The engine began to lose power and then surged back up. The engine seemed to recover, then the power dropped again. The student pilot applied carburetor heat. The flight instructor took control of the airplane. He checked the carburetor heat and mixture, then pumped the throttle several times. The flight instructor pushed the carburetor heat in the off position and the engine's condition got worse. The engine continued to quit and then surge back up to full power. The flight instructor informed air traffic control that he was losing power and could not hold altitude. The airplane was approximately 1200 feet and the flight instructor knew they would not make it to the runway. The flight instructor selected a bare pasture on a short hilltop for the emergency landing. The instructor brought the airplane in over trees at the south end of the pasture with no power and full flaps. The airplane touched down on the pasture, but the instructor could not stop it before the crest of the hill. The airplane went over the crest and struck a tree with the right wing, spun around 180-degress, collided into more trees and then came to rest. Examination of the airplane revealed the engine mounts broken, nose gear collapsed, both wings damaged and the empennage bent approximately 45-degrees to the left. Further examination of the engine revealed 18 gallons of fuel in the fuel tanks and very little fuel in the fuel lines or the carburetor. There was also no water found in the fuel lines or carburetor bowl. There were no anomalies found during the examination of the engine. At the time of the accident, the temperature was minus 4-degrees Celsius and the dewpoint was minus 16-degrees Celsius.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMQY Smyrna TN at 5:50 pm
- Destination: KBNA Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.72 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KBNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL05CA045.