Cessna 172S accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, June 26, 2012
On June 26, 2012 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N961MC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near West Palm Beach, Florida (North Palm Beach Countyairport). 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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct takeoffs and landings in conditions exceeding the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind capability.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2012 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North Palm Beach Countyairport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N961MC · registry record · serial 172S9617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that he and the student pilot were practicing touch-and-go landings in crosswind conditions. The student pilot landed uneventfully on runway 31; however, during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and began to veer to the right. The flight instructor took control of the airplane; however, as it subsequently climbed to an altitude of about 10 feet above the ground, another wind gust caused the airplane to roll over. The airplane came to rest inverted on the adjacent taxiway resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The flight instructor reported that were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. The reported wind at the airport about the time of the accident was from 220 degrees at 19 knots with 29-knot gusts. The pilot operating handbook for this airplane indicates that operation in a direct crosswind of up to 15 knots has been demonstrated.
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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum crosswind component › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,470 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 256 in the last 90 days; 94 in the last 30 days; 1,353 as pilot in command; 772 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 76 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,186 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 2012; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLNA Lantana FL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: KLNA Lantana FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 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.
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 ERA12CA419.