Cessna 401 accident near Jackson, Tennessee, September 12, 1991
On September 12, 1991, a Cessna 401, registered N13DT, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson, Tennessee (Mckellar Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE MAIN FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO THE APPROACH, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION AND ENGINE STOPPAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1991
- Place
- Jackson, Tennessee · Mckellar Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N13DT · no longer on the register · serial 4010247
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN, AND WAS PROCEEDING TO THE AIRPORT VISUALLY. DURING HIS APPROACH, THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT, FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE THEN REALIZED THAT HE HAD FAILED TO SWITCH FROM THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS TO THE MAIN FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO THE APPROACH, AND EXHAUSTED THE AUXILIARY FUEL SUPPLY. WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ATTEMPT A RESTART, HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A BEAN FIELD SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP, THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED, AND THE FUSELAGE WAS CONSUMED IN A POST-CRASH FIRE.
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: 1,681 hours in all; 659 in this make and model; 1,681 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 5W5 Raleigh NC at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 3,540 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from MKL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N13DT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.