Cessna 172 accident near Brownsville, Tennessee, June 14, 1995
On June 14, 1995 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N54484, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsville, Tennessee (Gaylon Herron Farm airport). It was a personal 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 improper in-flight decision to land on the wet, sod runway, and his failure to use all of the available runway for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1995 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Tennessee · Gaylon Herron Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N54484 · no longer on the register · serial 17274985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE PRIVATE SOD AIRFIELD. HE STATED THAT THE 1,500 FOOT STRIP WAS COVERED WITH DEW AND THAT HE LANDED WITH ABOUT 1,000 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING, BUT THAT HE COULD NOT GET THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED PRIOR TO RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A GROUP OF TREES LOCATED JUST OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 195 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 195 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1994; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KY29 Paducah KY at 1:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from MKL, 30 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.