Cessna 172P accident near Cedar Key, Florida, October 8, 2012
On October 8, 2012 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N97757, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Cedar Key, Florida (Cedar Key airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2012 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Key, Florida · Cedar Key · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N97757 · no longer on the register · serial 17276227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane was too high during his first approach to the 2,355-foot-long asphalt runway, so he performed a go-around. During his second approach, the airplane touched down normally; however, the pilot was not able to stop the airplane before the end of the runway. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway about 100 feet before the end and came to rest, nose down, in a marshy area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its nose gear and firewall. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the tire marks on the runway, which were continuous and began about 600 feet before the departure end of the runway and then veered off the left side of the runway, it is likely that the pilot landed long on the relatively short runway and was unable to stop the airplane on the remaining pavement.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 17, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,631 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ultimate Air Academy
The flight
- Departed from: 28J Palatka FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: CDK Cedar Key FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,355 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from CTY, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 4, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Manifest | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photograph # 1 – Airplane as It Came to Rest (Provided by Operator) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photograph # 2 – Tire Marks on Runway(provided by Operator) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.