Cessna T210N accident near Williamsport, Tennessee, June 25, 1984
On June 25, 1984 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N6418N, was destroyed in an accident near Williamsport, Tennessee (Russell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. 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 25, 1984 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Williamsport, Tennessee · Russell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6418N · no longer on the register · serial 21062994
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT STATED THAT WHILE DEPARTING FROM A SMALL 2000 FOOT LONG PRIVATE STRIP THE ENGINE APPEARED TO LOOSE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE AT THE DEPARTURE ENS OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL OTHER TREES PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE GRND. POST CRASH RUNNING OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE ANYPRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. WITNESSES STATED THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF THE ACFT APPEARED TO LEVEL OFF AT 10 TO15 FT AGL AND FLEW STRAIGHT AHEAD COLLIDING WITH THE TREES. THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE TREES WHICH HAD CLEAR AREAS ON BOTH SIDES. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PLT REPORTED LIFTING OFF AT 80 KTS, BUT IN A VERBAL STATEMENT, HE SAID HE HAD LIFTED OFF AT 40 KTS. ALSO, A WITNESS SAID THE GEAR STARTED RETRACTING JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S HANDBOOK, THE MAX PERFORMANCE CLIMB SPEED WAS 72 KTS & THE GEAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETRACTED AFTER OBSTACLES HAD BEEN CLEARED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,230 hours in all; 608 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 360 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 16, 1983; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Williamsport TN
- Destination: M10 Columbia TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from BNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.