Cessna 172S accident near Naples, Florida, September 14, 2014
On September 14, 2014 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2004 Cessna 172S, registered N21670, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Naples, Florida (Naples Municipal 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. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to land due to the deteriorating weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2014 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Naples, Florida · Naples Municipal · 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
The solo student pilot was returning to her home airport, and was on a straight-in approach to the 6,600-foot runway. At the time of the landing clearance, the tower controller reported that the weather conditions were "deteriorating rapidly" to instrument meteorological conditions, but the pilot reported the runway was in sight during the entire approach. She said she completed the approach in accordance with traffic pattern altitudes and speed, and set the flaps to 20 degrees prior to touchdown. During the landing, the airplane touched down "hard" on the main and nose landing gear, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Mental/emotional state › Stress › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 63 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2014; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 3,344 hours total
- Operator: Rexair Sales & Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: OBE Okeechobee FL at 2:45 pm
- Destination: APF Naples FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from APF
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.