Cessna 172S accident near St. Augustine, Florida, November 16, 2013
On November 16, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 2006 Cessna 172S, registered N873EF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St. Augustine, Florida (Northeast Florida Rgnl 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida · Northeast Florida Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2006 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N873EF · registry record · serial 172S10163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and struck a runway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing strut and left horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane had been operated about 13 hours since its most recent 100-hour inspection, which was performed 3 days before the accident. The student pilot had accumulated about 45 hours of total flight experience, all in the make and model of the accident airplane, including about 38 hours during the 90 days that preceded the accident. A 6-knot crosswind existed at the time of the accident.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,557 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 13, 2013; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 2,557 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGJ St. Augustine FL at 7:40 pm
- Destination: SGJ St. Augustine FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from SGJ
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.