Cessna 172 accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, February 5, 2024
On February 5, 2024 at about 11:28 pm local time, a 2003 Cessna 172, registered N2150G, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2024 · about 11:28 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2003 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2150G · registry record · serial 172S9516
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during the initial climb, he observed a bird dive down from above the airplane. The bird impacted the top portion of the windshield, resulting in substantial damage to the windshield. After the impact, the pilots checked themselves for injuries and for any control issues with the airplane. Both pilots were uninjured, and the airplane operated normally. The flight instructor landed the airplane without further incident.
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
- Birdstrike during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 256 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 202 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 30, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,226 hours in all; 1,060 in this make and model; 156 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 1,140 as pilot in command; 849 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 8, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,352.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 8, 2024; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 1,825 hours total
- Operator: Msb Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: M56 Lebanon TN at 10:00 pm
- Destination: MQY Smyrna TN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from MQY, 25 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMQY 052356Z 35009KT 10SM CLR 12/00 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP147 T01220000 10178 20122 53025
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Damage to the windshield
Photograph 2 – Damage to the windshield
Photograph 3 – Damage to the windshieldThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 12, 2024. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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
- N2150G on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,646 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Smyrna Airport · nearest airport
- Gunflint Lodge Seaplane Base · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,198 since 1982 · 231 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,522 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA24LA106.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.