Cessna 172N accident near Odessa, Florida, May 4, 2004
On May 4, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Odessa, Florida (Tampa Executive Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare that resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Odessa, Florida · Tampa Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737HW · registry record · serial 172-69439
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he and his passengers departed Executive Airport and stayed within the local flying area. After about one hour of flying, they returned to Executive Airport, The pilot report as he enter the traffic pattern for runway 08, he radioed his position. The pilot recalled that he lowered the wing flaps to the full down position on final approach. The pilot stated that the landing was a "hard one". The pilot taxied the airplane to the refueling pump and was told to leave the airplane at the pump. The pilot reported that he saw no damage to the airplane after deplaning. According to the pilot several days latter, he was informed of the firewall damaged to the airplane.
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: 271 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jensen Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 3FD1 Odessa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.