Cessna 172K accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, November 29, 2004
On November 29, 2004 at about 11:11 am local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N78402, was substantially damaged in an accident near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna 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 inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight, and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2004 · about 11:11 am local time
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N78402 · no longer on the register · serial 17257603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated he visually checked the fuel tanks before departing on the VFR flight and fuel was present in the fuel tanks. He could not remember what time he departed. While turning from base to final at his destination airport the engine quit. He switched the fuel tanks and attempted a restart which was unsuccessful. The airplane cleared trees at the approach end of the runway and collided with the ground. The nose gear separated, the airplane continued forward, and collided with the airport fence. Examination of the crash site revealed the left and right fuel tanks were not ruptured. No fuel was present in either fuel tank. The airplane was recovered to an airport hangar and the left and right fuel sumps were drained. One fourth of a gallon of fuel was removed from the left fuel tank drain. No fuel was recovered from the right fuel tank drain. A support brace was placed under the airplane. The engine was started and the engine ran at idle power for 3 minutes before the engine lost power.
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
- Flight time: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E-2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRC Columbia TN
- Destination: MQY Smyrna TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 8,036 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; a few clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from MQY
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.
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.