Cessna 172 accident near Seymore, Tennessee, June 18, 2023
On June 18, 2023 at about 12:00 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna 172, registered N12395, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Seymore, Tennessee (Seymour Air Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to properly configure the wing flaps for a soft-field takeoff on a short runway, which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2023 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seymore, Tennessee · Seymour Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1973 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N12395 · registry record · serial 17261968
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that he was teaching the student pilot a soft-field takeoff technique on a 2,300-ft-long turf runway, with a passenger in the back seat. The flight instructor further stated that student pilot lifted off the airplane at 52 knots, but it settled back to the runway as the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind. The airplane then traveled about 100 ft beyond the departure end of the runway and struck bushes, coming to rest upright. The flight instructor added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The inspector noted that the flaps were in the fully retracted position and asked the flight instructor why he did not perform the accident takeoff with 10° flap extension, per the owner’s manual. The flight instructor replied that was always how he performed soft-field takeoffs. The recorded wind speed about the time of the accident was 3 knots.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Trailing edge flaps › Incorrect use/operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 15,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 15,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 52 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,300 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 am from TYS, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTYS 181153Z 07003KT 8SM BKN250 18/14 A2994
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N12395 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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA23LA271.