Cessna 172P accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, March 1, 2010
On March 1, 2010 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5460K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ft. Pierce, Florida (Sant Lucie County Intl airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's improper flare and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, resulting 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
- March 1, 2010 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, Florida · Sant Lucie County Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5460K · no longer on the register · serial 17274126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor, the student pilot was on approach for landing to runway 10 left. Prior to touchdown the student pilot pulled excessive back pressure on the elevator flight control and the airplane ballooned before touching down hard on the main landing gear. The flight instructor then took over the flight controls, made a go-around, and landed on another runway. The airplane received substantial damage to the rudder torque tube.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,140 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 9, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,397 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 13, 2010; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ari Ben Aviator INC
The flight
- Departed from: FPR Ft. Pierce FL at 8:30 pm
- Destination: FPR Ft. Pierce FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10L, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 106 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FPR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5460K 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.