North American T-6-SNJ-5 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, September 25, 1999
On September 25, 1999 at about 4:00 pm local time, a North American T-6-SNJ-5, registered N23ZH, was destroyed in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain flying speed which resulted in a stall and the loss of control. A factor was pilot impairment due to the use of drugs.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1999 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-6-SNJ-5 · all T-6-SNJ-5s on the register
- Registration
- N23ZH · no longer on the register · serial 84968
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was seen by several eyewitnesses in the immediate vicinity of the accident site and flying over the city between 1000 and 800 feet above the ground. One witness reported that the airplane entered a nose low attitude, rolled inverted, and disappeared behind buildings. A witness near the accident site observed the airplane as it collided with a tree. Examination of the airframe and engine assemblies failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a component failure. The toxicological examinations for drugs disclosed that Benzoylecgonine was detected in both the blood and liver specimens. There were 0.073 ug/ml, ug/g and 0.327 ug/ml of Chlorpheniramine detected in the blood and liver specimens respectively. Benzoylecgonine is an inactive metabolite of cocaine. Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine, commonly used in over-the-counter cold/allergy preparations.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1998; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BNA at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:07 pm from BNA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.