Cessna 172P accident near Stuart, Florida, May 3, 2011
On May 3, 2011 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N88EP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Stuart, Florida (Witham Field 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 landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2011 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · Witham Field 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
- N88EP · registry record · serial 17276538
- 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 did not flare the airplane properly, which resulted in the airplane touching down hard on the nose landing gear, and bouncing back into the air. He performed a go-around and landed successfully. Another pilot subsequently flew the airplane and returned it early due to a different sound in engine noise. Examination of the airplane by the other pilot revealed one propeller blade tip was bent. Further examination by company maintenance personnel revealed the engine firewall was buckled.
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 Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ari Ben Aviator INC
The flight
- Departed from: X14 La Belle FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from SUA
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 N88EP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA11CA284.