Cessna 172 accident near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, November 17, 2008
On November 17, 2008 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N12236, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (Ft Lauderdale Exec 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 improper flare during landing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2008 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida · Ft Lauderdale Exec Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N12236 · registry record · serial 17261936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After departing the airport, the student pilot of the Cessna 172M flew with his flight instructor to a fixed location and returned to the airport. The student pilot and his instructor landed at the airport without incident and the flight instructor exited the airplane. The student pilot retrieved the current weather information and departed the airport again. This was the student pilot's third supervised solo flight. He flew back to the fixed location and turned back to the airport. The air traffic control tower cleared him to land. He said the approach seemed “normal.” The airplane touched down, then bounced once, possibly twice. During the bounced landing, the nose gear hit the runway hard. The nose wheel collapsed and the airplane “slid” from the center of the runway to the left edge before coming to a stop.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Ft. Lauderdale FL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: FXE Ft. Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from FXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N12236 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.