Cessna 172P accident near Merritt Island, Florida, July 12, 2002
On July 12, 2002 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54119, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery after a bounced landing and improper landing flare which resulted in the airplane colliding with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2002 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54119 · no longer on the register · serial 17274883
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A student pilot practicing short field landings landed hard. The airplane bounced back into the air and the pilot did not add power to go around. The airplane then came back down hard on the nose wheel leaving damage to the firewall and cabin floor.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,570 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2002; 32.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,407 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Merritt Island KY at 1:00 pm
- Destination: COI Merritt Island FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 110, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from MIA, 154 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N54119 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.