Cessna 182 accident near Mulberry, Tennessee, May 3, 2015
On May 3, 2015 at about 7:33 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 182, registered N6579M, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (descent) near Mulberry, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to recover from a controlled descent for reasons that could not be determined during the postaccident investigation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2015 · about 7:33 pm local time
- Place
- Mulberry, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 P, built 1975 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6579M · no longer on the register · serial 18263763
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed for a short pleasure flight in day visual flying conditions. According to GPS data, after takeoff, the airplane headed west toward an area of open farmland. About 20 minutes into the flight, the airplane was still on a westerly heading about 700 ft above the ground when it entered a controlled descent from which it never recovered. There were no witnesses to the accident, and the airplane wreckage was located the following morning. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation. No medical issues were identified with the pilot that may have contributed to the accident. Based on the evidence obtained in the investigation, it could not be determined why the airplane entered a controlled descent or why the pilot was unable to recover before impacting terrain.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,881 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2014
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc O-470 (piston); 4,921 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGF Winchester TN at 7:13 pm
- Destination: BGF Winchester TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from BGF, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on December 17, 2015. 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 | Record of Conversation - Armstrong | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Factual Report - GPS | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Non-volatile Memory Data | data file | Download |
| 4 | Maintenance - Logbook Information | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Wreckage Release and Evidence Control Form | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photos | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.