Cessna 421 accident near Dayton, Tennessee, February 24, 1983
On February 24, 1983 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N123SM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayton, Tennessee (Mark Anton airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 24, 1983 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Tennessee · Mark Anton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N123SM · no longer on the register · serial 421-0193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 421 COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE LANDING APPROACH WHILE ON A CORPORATE FLIGHT. THE WEATHER WAS IMC AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AND THE ACFT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BUT THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES 5 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN RNAV APPROACH TO RUNWAY 21 AT MARK ANTON FIELD, DAYTON, TN. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT WHAT HE THOUGHT TO BE THE FINAL APPROACH FIX A DESCENT WAS BEGUN FROM 2300 FT TO 1520 FT. AT 2000 FT COLLISION WITH TREES OCCURRED, (ON THE 170 DEGREE RADIAL 12 NM FROM THE HINCH MOUNTAIN VOR). A MISSED APPROACH WAS EXECUTED AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO KNOXVILLE. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND IN THE RNAV SYSTEM. THE PILOT SAID HE COULD HAVE 'MISSED KEYING IN' THE APPROPRIATE WAYPOINT.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,330 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 4,110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,065 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 20, 1982; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TYS Knoxville TN at 11:35 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; not recorded at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 am from CHA, 30 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N123SM 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.