Cessna 172 accident near Leesburg, Florida, February 17, 1992
On February 17, 1992 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N53370, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED BY THE FLIGHT DURING TAXI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1992 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N53370 · no longer on the register · serial 1727432
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THEY HAD COMPLETED SEVERAL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AND WERE TAXIING TO THE RAMP WHEN HE NOTICED BLOWING DUST SOUTHWEST OF THEIR POSITION. AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS LOST WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED AN ESTIMATED 50 KNOT GUST OF WIND. EFFORTS TO ARREST THE CONDITION FAILED AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THERE WAS NO REPORTED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF LESSBURG AIRPORT OR AT THE NEAREST REPORTING FACILITY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,247 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,150 as pilot in command; 121 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,259 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LEE at 10:30 pm
- Destination: LEE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from ORL, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.