Gulfstream G-159 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, June 1, 1985
On June 1, 1985 at about 4:00 am local time, a Gulfstream G-159, registered N181TG, was destroyed in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville Metro airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1985 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream G-159
- Registration
- N181TG · registry record · serial 181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS GENERAL AVIATION FLT 115 & WAS DEPTG ON A ROUTINE NIGHT FLT. DRG TAKEOFF/INITIAL CLIMB, THE LEFT ENG LOST PWR. THE FLT CREW ATTEMPTED TO CONT THE CLIMB-OUT, BUT FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF WATER-METHANOL, THE PLT LOST DRCTNL CONTROL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT BANKED TO THE LEFT, ENTERED A DSCNT & IMPACTED BETWEEN THE PARALLEL RWYS. AN INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER'S BLADE ANGLE WAS 21 DEGS. NO PREIMPACT SYS MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDING INDICATED THAT THE FLT CREW DID NOT COMPLETE ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THE BEFORE TAXI/TAKEOFF CHECKLIST. ONE OF THE ITEMS (PRESUMABLY NOT COMPLETED) WAS A CHECK OF THE H.P. COCK LEVERS. THE CHECKLIST REQUIRED THAT THE H.P. COCK LEVERS BE IN 'CRUISE LOCKOUT' FOR TAKEOFF. THE LEFT H.P. COCK LEVER WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE 'FUEL OFF' & 'FEATHER' POSITIONS. MOVEMENT TO THIS POSITION WOULD HAVE DEACTIVATED THE AUTO-FEATHER SYS & SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENG.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 877 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,363 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 18, 1985; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 36,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce DART 529-8X/E (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: General Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BNA at 4:00 am
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20R, 7,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL85MA177.