Cessna 172S accident near Orlando, Florida, June 29, 2014
On June 29, 2014 at about 7:35 pm local time, a 2001 Cessna 172S, registered N775SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain control while taxiing in a strong gusty wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2014 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2001 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N775SP · registry record · serial 172S8705
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he had completed an approximate 1 hour flight with his student pilot and they landed uneventfully. After landing, the airplane had a long taxi to return to the fixed based operator. During the taxi, a thunderstorm moved into the area and the wind increased. The strong wind caused the airplane to weathervane violently in one direction. The wind then lifted the airplane, flipped it over, and it came to rest inverted on the taxiway. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the fuselage, wings, rudder, and horizontal stabilizer. The recorded wind at the airport at the time of the accident was from 120 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 31 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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during taxi (from runway)
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during taxi (from runway)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,614 hours in all; 1,024 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,513 as pilot in command; 1,221 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 25, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,088 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 4, 2014; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 SER (piston); 932 hours total
- Operator: Trax Air
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; a few clouds at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:34 pm from ORL
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.
Other NTSB records under N775SP 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.