Cessna 182 accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, January 17, 2025
On January 17, 2025 at about 10:35 am local time, a 1972 Cessna 182, registered N21254, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate approach path, resulting in the airplane contacting a tree during a landing approach at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2025 · about 10:35 am local time
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 P, built 1972 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N21254 · registry record · serial 18261519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying a visual approach to the runway at night, and in a gusting crosswind, the pilot turned from the base leg of the traffic pattern to final approach and corrected for the crosswind. The pilot transitioned from a crabbing crosswind correction to a slipping crosswind correction and noticed that he was below the glideslope for the runway as indicated by the precision approach pathway indicator lights. The pilot increased engine power to correct, but the airplane impacted the top of a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. He subsequently landed the airplane uneventfully. The pilot reported that there were 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 599 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 532 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 5, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,343 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2024; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470R (piston); 2,910 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTYS Knoxville TN at 3:21 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 8,038 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from MQY
Weather report (METAR): KMQY 180456Z AUTO 19009G18KT 10SM -RA OVC060 08/06 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP125 P0000 T00830056 401561050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Right horizontal stabilizer accident damage
Photograph 2 – Right wing accident damage
Photograph 3 – Right main landing gear accident damage
Photograph 4 – Left main landing gear accident damageThe 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 22, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N21254 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.