Cessna 152 accident near Centerville, Tennessee, October 26, 1990
On October 26, 1990 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67448, was substantially damaged in an accident near Centerville, Tennessee (Centerville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PROPABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RUNWAY INCURSION BY THE DEER DURING THE PILOT'S TAKEOFF ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1990 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Centerville, Tennessee · Centerville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67448 · registry record · serial 15281840
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON TAKEOFF ROLL WHEN HE NOTICED FOUR DEER APPROACHING THE RUNWAY FROM THE RIGHT. THREE OF THE DEER STOPPED AT THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, HOWEVER, THE FOURTH DEER BEGAN TO RUN ALONG THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND TOWARDS THE AIRPLANE. THE DEER COLLIDED WITH THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED IN THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE.
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: 106 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 60 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: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235L-2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MKL
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.