Cessna 172N accident near Belle Glades, Florida, June 15, 2011
On June 15, 2011 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4954G, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Belle Glades, Florida (Belle Glade State Municipal 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 failure to maintain airplane control during the landing approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Glades, Florida · Belle Glade State Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4954G · registry record · serial 17273501
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while conducting flight maneuvers he encountered inclement weather. After electing to divert to a nearby airport, he encountered gusting wind and rain showers in the landing pattern. He was unable to land on his first approach due to a gusting crosswind. After conducting a go-around and reattempting a landing approach, the pilot was unable to align the aircraft due to the wind and attempted a second go-around. However, the gusting wind caused him to lose control of the airplane, which subsequently impacted the ground. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and firewall. The wind in the vicinity was reported to be 15 knots with gusts of 28 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
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 final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: military, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,992 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,213 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 13, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,545 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 2011; 86 hours since
- 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: FPR Fort Pierce FL at 7:47 pm
- Destination: FPR Fort Pierce FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 15 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 10:04 pm from OBE, 35 miles away
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.