Cessna 172N accident near Sarasota, Florida, September 14, 2001
On September 14, 2001 at about 1:28 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N19SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota-Bradenton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to land at an airport with high wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control on the ground during taxi operations and subsequent nose over of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2001 · about 1:28 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarasota-Bradenton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N19SC · registry record · serial 172 73550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing on runway 32 and taxiing clear of the runway, the airplane nosed over inverted during gusty, high winds.The airplane was positioned on a taxiway oriented 040 degrees magnetic when the event occurred. Winds were reported from 320 degrees magnetic at 34 knots gusting to 46 knots at 0932. The maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity for the airplane, according to its Information Manual, is 15 knots. Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the propeller, wings, and wing struts.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,323 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 3,102 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 2001; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 9:45 am
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 7,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 34 knots, gusting 46
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.29 inHg
- Observation at 1:32 pm from SRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL01LA111.