Cessna 421C accident near Nashville, Tennessee, August 25, 1986
On August 25, 1986 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N5299J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 25, 1986 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5299J · registry record · serial 421C0164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NORMAL TAKEOFF THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A DUAL ENGINE FAILURE ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND ATTEMPTED AN 80 DEGREE LEFT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY 'C'. THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN AT THE ROLLOUT SPEED AND ROLLED DOWN A RAVINE WHERE THE IT COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE INVESTIGATION FAILED TO DETERMINE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE DURING THE POST CRASH EXAMINATION. BOTH ENGINES OPERATED NORMALLY WITH THE EXISTING AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND FUEL ON BOARD. IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT HAD AMPLE RUNWAY AND GRASSY AREAS AVAILABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AN EMERGENCY ROLLOUT. BOTH PILOTS WERE CERTIFICATED TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT; HOWEVER, THE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES.
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: 1,119 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,992 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 1986; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2R, 4,304 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from BNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.