Cessna 414 accident near Cleveland, Tennessee, November 28, 1995
On November 28, 1995 at about 2:23 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N200DC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Tennessee (Hardwick Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INACCURATE WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE WET, DOWNSLOPING CONDITION OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 1995 · about 2:23 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Tennessee · Hardwick Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N200DC · registry record · serial 414-0261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE DEPARTURE HE PERFORMED AN ENGINE RUN-UP OF BOTH ENGINES WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. HE TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY USING THE FULL LENGTH AND APPLIED FULL POWER TO BOTH ENGINES WITH BRAKES APPLIED. HE RELEASED THE BRAKES, AND WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS 1/2 WAY DOWN THE 3,300-FOOT DOWNSLOPING WET ASPHALT RUNWAY THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR INDICATED 60 KNOTS. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND BEFORE REACHING A 15-FOOT DROP OFF THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO BOTH ENGINES WHICH RESPONDED. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A COW PASTURE COMING TO REST UPRIGHT. THERE WAS MODERATE RAIN AT THE TIME. POSTACCIDENT WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS A MINIMUM OF 359 POUNDS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF. WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS PROVIDED BY THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS 3 POUNDS OVER GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 956 hours in all; 523 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 886 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1995; 124 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HDI at 2:23 pm
- Destination: PAH Paducah KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:16 pm from CHA, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
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.