Cessna 172S accident near Immokalee, Florida, January 27, 2014
On January 27, 2014 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 2004 Cessna 172S, registered N21670, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Immokalee, Florida (Immokalee Regional 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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2014 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Immokalee, Florida · Immokalee Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2004 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N21670 · registry record · serial 172S9709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor and the student pilot, they flew from their home airport to another airport where the student pilot completed four landings without the flight instructor touching the controls. After the fourth landing, the flight instructor got out of the airplane so the student pilot could complete three solo takeoffs and landings. The first two landings were uneventful; however, according to the student pilot, just before the landing flare for the third landing, the airplane was "pushed" to the left side of the runway, "possibly by a wind gust," then landed hard. The flight instructor noted that during the approach, the airplane appeared to be slower than normal, followed by a hard landing. The main landing gear touched down first, then there was a "gallop on the nose wheel," and the airplane bounced twice before all landing gear were on the ground. The flight instructor subsequently performed a partial inspection the airplane, determined there was no damage, and the two flew it back to their home airport. During a subsequent rental, at an en route stop, another pilot noted propeller damage, and further inspection revealed firewall damage. Neither the flight instructor nor the student pilot reported any preexisting mechanical anomalies or damage to the airplane. Wind, recorded about the time of the accident, was 10 degrees from the right of runway heading, at 6 knots.
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
- Hard landing 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 › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 26 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,171 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 2013; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 1,480 hours total
- Operator: Rexair Sales & Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: IMM Immokalee FL at 2:55 pm
- Destination: IMM Immokalee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from IMM
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.
Other NTSB records under N21670 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.