Cessna 172P accident near Pensacola, Florida, April 4, 2002
On April 4, 2002 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N64079, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Feregenson Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2002 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Feregenson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N64079 · registry record · serial 17275516
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been conducting a pleasure flight, which included closed traffic at the private airport. The pilot had attempted several approaches to runway 18 without landing. However, according to the fixed based operator, several failed attempts were made to establish radio contact over the UNICOM frequency with the pilot of the accident airplane. The fixed base operator was concerned about the pilot attempting a landing with a tailwind. The pilot stated that after the second approach and go-around to runway 18 he discovered that the prevailing winds had shifted and favored runway 36. Witnesses saw the airplane on the accident approach to runway 18, and again the pilot appeared to execute a go-around, however, another pilot taxing for takeoff, saw the airplane bounced on the runway, turned to the northwest, touched down on the ground again and collided with a tree. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wing assemblies were damaged and the fuselage also sustained structural damage. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident. The prevailing winds were 330 degrees at 12 knots at the approximate time of the attempted landing.
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: 114 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 76 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,995 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2002; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-320D-2J; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 82J Pensacola FL at 10:10 pm
- Destination: 82J
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,206 ft by 425 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from pns
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N64079 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ATL02LA073.