Cessna 172N accident near Lakeland, Florida, July 15, 1997
On July 15, 1997 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737EV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional 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 student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the landing, which resulted in a collision with a runway marker. The rear-quartering tailwind (crosswind) and gusts were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1997 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737EV · no longer on the register · serial 17269369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While practicing landings on runway 09, the student pilot experienced a quartering tailwind of 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots. Subsequently, the airplane landed in grass to the left side of the runway. Before stopping, the aircraft hit a runway marking sign, damaging the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The winds were reported to be from 200 degrees.
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: student
- Flight time: 67 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,478 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1996; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLAL at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 8,550 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from LAL
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 N737EV 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.