Cessna 172M accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 23, 2014
On March 23, 2014 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 172M, registered N8893V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Knoxville, Tennessee (Sky Ranch airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a collision with an obstacle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2014 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1974 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8893V · registry record · serial 17264251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, during the takeoff roll the airplane began to veer to the left after approximately 225 feet. The student pilot applied right rudder and reduced power in an attempt to regain control of the airplane. The airplane continued off of the runway and collided with a pole, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,899 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 2014; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 5,868 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TN98 Knoxville TN at 8:30 pm
- Destination: TN98 Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TYS, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 ERA14CA169.