Cessna 172 accident near Ft Pierce, Florida, April 12, 2011
On April 12, 2011 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N702GR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ft Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie County 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 flare which resulted 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
- April 12, 2011 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ft Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N702GR · registry record · serial 17280558
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on a solo cross country flight with the intention of landing at two different local airports before returning to the flight academy base. While landing at her first planned stop, the airplane porpoised twice after touchdown. The student pilot stated that her airspeed was low on final approach and that she did not flare. After the full stop landing, she taxied back to the runway and took off again to fly to her next planned stop. After she landed the airplane at her second stop, the flight academy sent two flight instructors to recover the airplane and student. While conducting a preflight of the airplane to return to the academy, the instructors discovered substantial damage to the firewall.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,905 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dolphin Leasing
The flight
- Departed from: KDAB Daytona Beach FL at 12:12 pm
- Destination: KDAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 10R, 6,492 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.