Cessna 340 accident near Johnson City, Tennessee, January 17, 1985
On January 17, 1985 at about 5:57 am local time, a Cessna 340, registered N4124Q, was destroyed in an accident near Johnson City, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- January 17, 1985 · about 5:57 am local time
- Place
- Johnson City, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N4124Q · no longer on the register · serial 340-0088
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS IFR AT 17000 FT FLYING THRU WX SIGMET AREA FOR SEVERE ICING WHEN THE PLT REQUESTED A DESCENT DUE TO AIRFRAME ICE AND TURBULENCE. DURING THE DESCENT THE PLT REPORTED SHUTTING DOWN THE RIGHT ENG. ON FINAL APCH FOR AN OFF-ARPT LANDING ATTEMPT THE ACFT STALLED AND SPUN TO GROUND CONTACT. CHUNKS OF ICE WERE FOUND NEAR THE WRECKAGE. POST IMPACT EXAM OF THE RIGHT ENG REVEALED CRACKS IN THE #2, #5 AND #4 CYLINDERS. THE #4 CYLINDER HAD BURNED THRU AT THE EXHAUST PORT. THE RIGHT MAGNETO HAD UNACCEPTABLE OUTER CASE FRACTURES WHICH WERE FILLED WITH A RUBBER LIKE SEALANT. THE DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK HAD EVIDENCE OF SEVERE DESTRUCTIVE ARCING AND CROSSFIRING. NO DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH BENDIX SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 612 DEALING WITH INSPECTION OF THE MAGNETOS WAS FOUND. THE RIGHT ENG PROP WAS NOT IN THE FEATHERED POSTITION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,965 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,467 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1984; 113 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,975 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LUK Cincinnati OH
- Destination: CAE Columbia SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:43 am from TRI, 12 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.