Cessna 172M accident near Kingston, Tennessee, June 6, 1983
On June 6, 1983 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13881, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingston, Tennessee (Charles Farm 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 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 6, 1983 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, Tennessee · Charles Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13881 · no longer on the register · serial 17263027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT CHECKED THE WX CONDITIONS BEFORE OPERATING ON THE 1020 FT GRASS STRIP. HE LANDED ON THE STRIP AT 0935 EDT, TOOK OFF AGAIN ABOUT 10 MIN LATER, THEN RETURNED & LANDED AGAIN. APRX 1 HR & 5 MIN AFTER HIS 1ST TAKEOFF, HE STARTED ANOTHER DEPARTURE WITH 20 DEG OF FLAPS SELECTED. AFTTER LIFT-OFF, HE FELT THE TAIL OF THE ACFT HIT A FENCE AT THE END OF THE STRIP, THEN THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS LOCKED UP. AT THAT TIME, HE REDUCED THE POWER & THE ACFT CRASHED BEYOND THE FENCE IN A WET/MARSHY AREA & CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE OWNER'S MANUAL RECOMMENDED USING NO GREATER THAN 10 DEG OF FLAPS FOR MINIMUM RUN TAKEOFFS.
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: 82 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1982; 112 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Sky Ranch Arpt. TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,020 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from TYS, 12 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.
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.