Fairchild 24R-40 accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, June 8, 2012
On June 8, 2012 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Fairchild 24R-40, registered N232E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2012 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild 24R-40 · all 24R-40s on the register
- Registration
- N232E · registry record · serial R40-425
- 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, he flew about 1 hour before returning to the departure airport and entering the traffic pattern. During final approach, he stated that the black rubber transfer on the runway surface confused him, which resulted in his misjudgment of the height of the airplane over the runway. The pilot realized that he was too high and too slow when he flared the airplane, so he applied full throttle to go around. The airplane impacted the runway, bounced, and skidded off the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 988 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,087 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 2008; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,882 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Fairchild 6-440 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 7:00 pm
- Destination: MQY Smyrna TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 8,048 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KMQY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N232E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA12CA415.