Cessna 172N accident near Franklin, Tennessee, June 5, 1983
On June 5, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6429F, was destroyed in an accident near Franklin, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6429F · no longer on the register · serial 17273222
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT APRX 45 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, HE SMELLED AN ODOR LIKE SOMETHING BURNING,THEN NOTED A LOSS OF POWER. HE STATED THAT THE ENG DID NOT QUIT, BUT HAD LOST POWER TO ABOUT THE 1000 RPM RANGE. ALSO, HE STATED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ABOUT 10 PSI. ADDITIONALLY, HE REPORTED THAT HE 'JOCKEYED' THE THROTTLE & IMMEDIATELY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, BUT NEITHER OF THESE HAD ANY EFFECT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING & NOSED OVER. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE LIFTERS FOR THE #3 & #4 INTAKE VALVES WERE CHIPPED, SPALLED & WORN. ALSO, THE RESPECTIVE CAM LOBES WERE ROUNDED & WORN. THE ENG WAS REASSEMBLE WITH THE ORIGINAL PARTS & OPERATED NORMALLY. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 76 & 64 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, SERIOUS ICING COULD OCCUR AT GLIDE POWER & VISIBLE ICING COULD OCCUR AT RATED POWER. THE OIL PUMP, OIL FILTER & OIL SENSORS (TEMP & PRESSURE) CHECKED NORMAL. NO MECHANICAL REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE ENG TO LOSE 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: 87 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,017 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 23, 1983; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Smyrna Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.