Cessna 172S accident near Miami, Florida, December 24, 2013
On December 24, 2013 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 2007 Cessna 172S, registered N17223, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Miami, Florida (Opa Locka Executive airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare during a gusty, crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 2013 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Opa Locka Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2007 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N17223 · registry record · serial 172S10635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was approaching the runway with 20-degrees flaps. Winds reported about that time were 50 degrees from the right at 9, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot crabbed the airplane into the wind until about 50 feet above the runway, when he straightened the nose with left rudder and right aileron. The pilot then felt a gust of wind under the right wing, and corrected to maintain wings level. The right main landing gear touched down first, followed by a nose landing gear collapse with damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies 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
- 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
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 7 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,314 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 10, 2013; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 2,334 hours total
- Operator: Paragon Flight Training Co.
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: OPF Miami FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 6,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 9:19 pm from OPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 N17223 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 ERA14CA078.