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 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2012 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2012
- Place
- Crossville, Tennessee · Crossville Memorial Airport · cases near this 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on August 30, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAA Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation-hoffer | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1-COURTESY of Faa-rear View of Nosed Over Airplane | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2-COURTESY of Faa- Buckled Firewall | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N456MB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,678 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,683 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 SER A&C 8,559 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Crossville Meml-Whitson Field · nearest airport
- Tri-Cities Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,196 since 1982 · 229 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,523 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA12CA347.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.