Cessna 182G accident near Lexington, Tennessee, September 22, 1997
On September 22, 1997 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N3725U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Tennessee (Franklin Wilkins airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper planning/decision by the pilot, which led to the fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Trees in the emergency landing area were a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1997 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Tennessee · Franklin Wilkins · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3725U · no longer on the register · serial 18255125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as he was turning base to land, he noticed that the engine did not respond to throttle movements. Subsequently, the airplane struck trees during a forced landing, then it crashed nose first into the ground. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any discrepancy. According to an FAA inspector, the airplane held 65 gallons of fuel, 5 gallons of which were considered unusable. At the scene of the accident, fuel was drained from the fuel tanks and the engine. The left tank had 1 quart of fuel, the right tank had 5 ounces of fuel, and the gascolator and strainer together had 1/2 gallon of fuel.
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: 4,000 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,594 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1997; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R6B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRG Jacksonville FL at 11:30 am
- Destination: M52 TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 2,160 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from MKL, 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.