Cessna T-41B N14449
3 March 2005 · Sparta, Tennessee, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 3 March 2005 at about 22:15 local time, a Cessna T-41B registered N14449 was involved in an accident near Sparta, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sparta, Tennessee, United States
- Coordinates
- 36.0561, -85.5306
- Aircraft
- Cessna T-41B
- Registration
- N14449
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Nashville → Sparta
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL05TA055
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
Improper installation of the timing reference plug by other maintenance personnel, which resulted in oil starvation, and the loss of engine power.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot stated the flight was cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level when the engine began to run rough. Moments later, engine oil sprayed on the windscreen and the cockpit filled with smoke. Several hundred yards short of runway 4, the engine lost power completely, and the propeller stopped. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid trees and landed in a field. The pilot stated when the nose wheel touched down, it sank into the soft ground, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed the empennage was nearly separated aft of the baggage compartment, the fuselage was buckled aft of the firewall, and damage was observed on the engine crankcase. The post-accident examination of the engine revealed the timing reference plug was missing from the crankcase. The timing reference plug threads in the crankcase were not stripped. The crankshaft did not reveal any signs of movement or rotation, and the pistons, rings, and pins in all six cylinders revealed discoloration and mechanical damage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna T-41B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 2026 | Cessna T-41B | Fort Mohave, Arizona, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1983 | Cessna T-41B (R-172E) | Healy, Alaska, United States | Fort Wainwright Flying Club | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 2005 | Cessna 152 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | John Gibi | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 2005 | Globe GC-1B | Athens, Tennessee, United States | James Heathfield | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 2005 | Bellanca 17-30A | Eagleville, Tennessee, United States | Joseph Trent Kendall | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 2005 | Flight CTSW | Rogersville, Tennessee, United States | Samual Dailey Craig | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jun 2005 | Cessna 172 | Crossville, Tennessee, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 May 2005 | Earnest JODEL D-9 | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |