Cessna 525 accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, May 16, 2006
On May 16, 2006 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 525, registered N545TG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Murphreesboro Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing on a wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2006 · about 11:15 pm local time · cases in 2006
- Place
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee · Murphreesboro Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 525 · all 525s on the register
- Registration
- N545TG · registry record · serial 525-0545
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was cleared by approach control for a visual approach to runway 18 at Murphreesboro Municipal Airport. The pilot tuned up the Airport Terminal Information System information on the airplane radio. The winds were reported at 240-degrees at 3 knots and the runway was wet. The pilot entered the traffic pattern, completed the before landing checklist, lowered the landing gear, and approach flaps on base leg. The pilot turned the airplane on final approach, lowered the flaps to the full down position, and activated the anti skid. The pilot landed the airplane on the first one third of the runway. The pilot stated that a front was approaching the airport and upon touchdown the wind had changed and heavy rains had started. The airplane touched down and started hydroplaning at midfield. The pilot stated there was insufficient runway remaining for him to initiate a go-around. The airplane went off the runway sideways, collapsed the left main landing gear, and came to a complete stop. The pilot completed the engine shutdown and he and the 6 passengers exited the airplane. After exiting the airplane the pilot observed the left flap had separated from the airframe and there was structural damage to the left wing. The pilot stated to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he lost directional control of the airplane as it was hydroplaning down the runway. He further stated there was no mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,700 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 243 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 1, 2006; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,600 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Williams International FJ44-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KPHF Newport News VA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: KMBT Murphreesboro TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 3,898 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from MBT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N545TG on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 525 CitationJet (CJ series) 1,970 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Williams International FJ44-1A 62 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Murfreesboro Municipal · nearest airport
- Newport News/Williamsburg International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,196 since 1982 · 229 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,522 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL06CA080.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.