Beech C23 accident near Gainesboro, Tennessee, July 21, 1984
On July 21, 1984 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N18355, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gainesboro, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- July 21, 1984 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesboro, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N18355 · no longer on the register · serial M2358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A STATIC WIRE WHILE FLYING ALONG A RIVER. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AT 350 FT AGL ABOUT 5 MILES NE OF THE ARPT. THE LEFT WING HIT THE WIRE WHICH CUT INTO THE WING AND PENETRATED A FUEL CELL. FUEL ESCAPED FROM THIS CELL AND WHEN THE ACFT LANDED AT THE ARPT THE FUEL IGNITED. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY FIRE FIGHTERS. THE PLT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES UNTIL JUST BEFORE IMPACT.
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
- Flight time: 124 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 86 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 17, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Stevens Aviation,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 1A7 Gainesboro TN at 8:35 pm
- Destination: BNA Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:58 pm from BNA, 53 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.