Cessna 172 accident near Crossville, Tennessee, February 14, 1991
On February 14, 1991 at about 8:14 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8641B, was destroyed in an accident near Crossville, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER FLIGHT PLANNING BY THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1991 · about 8:14 pm local time
- Place
- Crossville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8641B · registry record · serial 036341
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER AT ROCKWOOD, TENNESSEE, VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED AT ROCKWOOD; HOWEVER, HE COULD SEE DARK CLOUDS BEYOND THE MOUNTAIN TOWARD CROSSVILLE. THE FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AT CROSSVILLE WAS REPORTING IMC CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ANY ATTEMPT BY THE PILOT OF N8641B TO OBTAIN THE CURRENT WEATHER. THE WRECKAGE WAS DISTRIBUTED OVER AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 336 FEET IN LENGTH ABOUT 2 MILES NORTH OF THE CROSSVILLE, TENNESSEE, AIRPORT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 52 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RKW Rockwood TN at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:51 pm from CSV, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.