Cessna 172N accident near Nashville, Tennessee, August 9, 1996
On August 9, 1996 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5291E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International 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
inadequate annual inspection by other maintenance personnel and inadequate pre-flight inspection by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1996 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5291E · registry record · serial 17271820
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing to the runway for takeoff, the right brake became ineffective. The airplane rolled to the end of the taxiway and down an embankment, colliding with trees. During the postaccident examination of the brake system, evidence of an old leak was found at the right brake caliper and brake line connection. Additionally, the master brake cylinder contained only residual fluid. According to the pilot's report, an annual inspection was conducted 1.7 operating hours and about one month prior to the accident.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 440 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jma Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BNA
- Destination: M34 Gilbertsville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20C, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from BNA, 1 miles away
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.