Cessna 172P accident near Pensacola, Florida, September 27, 2009
On September 27, 2009 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55437, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Pensacola, Florida (Pensacola 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 pilot's inability to maintain control during landing due to the separation of the nose landing gear upper scissor from the nose gear assembly. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate visual examination performed during the annual inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2009 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Pensacola Regional Airport · 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
- N55437 · no longer on the register · serial 17275180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was performing touch-and-go landings prior to the accident. Shortly after his third landing, the airplane veered left and impacted a taxiway sign. The nose landing gear separated from the airframe and resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. Examination of the airplane's nose landing gear by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the upper scissor bolt, cotter pin, and castle nut were missing. Winding tire marks were observed on the runway prior to the airplane veering off the runway. Examination of the airplane found no damage to the nose landing gear scissor flange or nose landing gear scissor. In addition, the upper scissor flange bolt was not recovered, nor was any evidence identified that indicated the bolt was in place at the time of separation. An annual inspection was performed 17 days prior to the accident flight. A visual examination of the nose landing gear was performed, but no maintenance was required to be performed. The airplane accumulated 18 hours of flight time after the annual inspection prior to the accident.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Failure
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Inadequate inspection
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2009; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pensacola Navy Flying Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: PNS Pensacola FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: PNS Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 35, 7,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PNS
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.
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.