Cessna 172R accident near Crossville, Tennessee, May 20, 2012
On May 20, 2012 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N456MB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Crossville, Tennessee (Crossville Memorial 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
The pilot's attempt to avoid a deer on the runway, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2012 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crossville, Tennessee · Crossville Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N456MB · registry record · serial 17280033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during the landing roll he noticed a deer on the runway. In an attempt to avoid hitting the deer, he applied the brakes and the airplane skidded off the runway and collided with a ditch. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that it sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 172 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 SER A&C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Citadel Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Blountville TN at 4:00 pm
- Destination: CSV Crossville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 5,418 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from CSV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.