Cessna 172 accident near New Symrna Beach, Florida, March 30, 2020
On March 30, 2020 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2005 Cessna 172, registered N957TC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near New Symrna Beach, Florida (New Smyrna Beach Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and decision to not go-around after a bounced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2020 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Symrna Beach, Florida · New Smyrna Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2005 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N957TC · no longer on the register · serial 172S9957
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor said he was not on the flight controls as the student pilot made a stable approach to the runway for a full stop landing. The student pilot initiated a flare over the runway but did not follow thru and the airplane bounced about 20-30 ft back into the air. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and tried to save the landing; however, the airplane stalled and landed hard resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The flight instructor said there were no mechanical issues with the airplane and the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern final)
- 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 › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 229 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 188 as pilot in command; 56 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,021.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 12, 2020; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 5,115 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EVB New Symrna Beach FL at 11:16 am
- Destination: EVB New Symrna Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,319 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from EVB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1- CFI | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Operator | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos - Provided by FAA | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.