Cessna 172 accident near Greenville, Tennessee, April 15, 1993
On April 15, 1993 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N70397, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Tennessee (Greenville Municipal airport). It was a business 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 pilot's improper procedures in that he landed with excessive flap extension, and his inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1993 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Tennessee · Greenville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N70397 · no longer on the register · serial 17267213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BECAUSE OF A STRONG WIND GUST DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED BACK INTO THE AIR, & DRIFTED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT TRIED TO ABORT THE LANDING BY ADDING POWER & APPLYING FULL LEFT RUDDER & AILERON. HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND, WHICH BROKE OFF THE NOSE GEAR. IT THEN CONTINUED & COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITH THE FLAPS FULLY EXTENDED. HE HAD ASKED FOR ADVISORIES ON UNICOM BUT COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSE. THE RUNWAY WAS OVERFLOWN & HE NOTED THAT THE WIND SOCK WAS STRAIGHT OUT, & PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 23. A CESSNA 172 PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK INDICATES THAT MINIMUM FLAPS, CONSISTENT WITH RUNWAY LENGTH, SHOULD BE USED FOR LANDINGS IN STRONG CROSSWINDS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,975 hours in all; 1,170 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,888 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,610 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,302 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:20 pm from GCY
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.