Cessna 172 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, May 14, 2021
On May 14, 2021 at about 3:34 pm local time, a 2008 Cessna 172, registered N62568, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach International Ai 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
Both pilots’ failure to maintain control during the landing flare and the flight instructor’s failure to maintain control during an attempted go-around, in gusting quartering headwind conditions, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2021 · about 3:34 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach International Ai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2008 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N62568 · no longer on the register · serial 172S10726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and a private pilot receiving instruction stated completed commercial pilot training maneuvers uneventfully and were returning to the airport for a full stop landing. The flight instructor advised the student to fly a higher approach speed due to a right quartering headwind at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots. As the airplane entered ground effect, the nose was pointed 45° right of runway centerline. The instructor then took control of the airplane, along with the student, and tried to correct; however, the airplane drifted left of the runway. The instructor initiated a go-around, but the airplane pitched up, yawed left, and impacted a grass area consistent with an aerodynamic stall. It sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The instructor added that she lost control of the airplane and that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 297 hours in all; 281 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 205 as pilot in command; 31 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 5, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 129 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,863 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 13, 2021; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Phoenix East Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from DAB
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 August 2, 2021. 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 | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N62568 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.