Cessna 152 accident near Cleveland, Tennessee, August 18, 1993
On August 18, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4921H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Tennessee (Hardwick Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE TAXIING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Tennessee · Hardwick Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4921H · no longer on the register · serial 15284021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHEN THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE BRAKES HAD GONE OUT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT SKIDDED OFF THE RUNUP PAD AND FLIPPED INVERTED. EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED, FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 770 hours in all; 388 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 671 as pilot in command; 363 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,388 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1993; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from CHA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.