Cessna 172S accident near Tallahassee, Florida, November 5, 2009
On November 5, 2009, a Cessna 172S, registered N5194X, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots' spatial disorientation during flight in dark conditions, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2009
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N5194X · no longer on the register · serial 172S9085
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed and climbed straight ahead to an altitude of about 600 feet before it began a left turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern. It continued on a flight path toward hundreds of square miles of unlit, national forest land with the moon just above the horizon and behind the airplane. The airplane reached an altitude of about 1,000 feet as it turned from the crosswind leg to the downwind leg, and then descended in a continuous left arc toward the airport. The air traffic tower controller perceived the descent immediately and transmitted the airplane's registration number over the radio. One of the pilots responded by restating the number in business-like tone and there were no further communications from either pilot. Examination of the trees and airplane damage along the wreckage path was consistent with a shallow, wings-level, high-speed descent that suggested either one or both pilots nearly recovered control of the airplane during the last several seconds of descent to ground contact. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Federal Aviation Administration guidance indicates that spatial disorientation can occur when there is no natural horizon or surface reference, such as a night flight in sparsely populated areas similar to that of the accident conditions.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,202 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 674 hours in all
- Last flight review: November 8, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,956 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 2009; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Eagle Air CORP
The flight
- Departed from: TLH Tallahassee FL
- Destination: TLH Tallahassee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,067 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
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 N5194X 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.