Beech C23 accident near Centerville, Tennessee, August 11, 2002
On August 11, 2002 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N24041, was destroyed in an accident near Centerville, Tennessee (Centerville Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall shortly after takeoff. A contributing factor was the pilot's decision to takeoff in an over gross weight condition and his lack of familiarity with the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2002 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Centerville, Tennessee · Centerville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N24041 · registry record · serial M-1930
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single-engine airplane impacted an 80-foot tree after the pilot lost control shortly after takeoff. The airplane impacted trees with little to no forward speed in a nose low pitch attitude. A number of tree limbs were freshly cut by the propeller. The private pilot flew the airplane for approximately 40 minutes prior to departing on the accident flight. The accident flight included approximately 300 pounds of fuel on board, 100 pounds of ballast weight in the baggage area, a 359-pound passenger in the rear seat, a 170-pound front seat passenger, and the 170-pound pilot. This brought the gross weight of the airplane to approximately 200 pounds in excess of its maximum gross weight limitations. The calculated center of gravity (CG) was less than one inch from its most aft CG limit. No pre-accident anomalies with the engine or airframe were noted that would have contributed to the accident. The 145-hour pilot obtained a check out in the accident airplane three days prior to the accident. This was the first flight in the accident airplane since the checkout. The checkout lasted approximately one hour and included a questionnaire and a weight and balance calculation and discussion.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,628.0 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2002; 68.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GHM Centerville TN at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from BNA, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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.