Cessna 172RG accident near Miami, Florida, May 8, 2021
On May 8, 2021 at about 3:46 pm local time, a 1982 Cessna 172RG, registered N9795B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Miami, Florida (Miami Exec airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapse of the left main landing gear for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2021 · about 3:46 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG, built 1982 · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9795B · registry record · serial 172RG1042
- 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 during landing, and after touchdown, the brakes were applied and the left main landing gear “slowly collapsed rearward and up.” The airplane veered left, exited the runway, and came to rest in the grass, sustaining substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that there were no hydraulic fluid leaks. After placing the airplane on jacks, the retractable landing gear operated normally via the landing gear handle and the manual emergency extension pump. Additionally, the landing gear warning horn and indicator lights functioned as designed. The examination revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,074 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,049 as pilot in command; 577 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 25, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,769 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 2020; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 6,779 hours total
- Operator: Silver Express CO DBA
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 3:00 pm
- Runway 09R, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from TMB
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTMB 081553Z 08017G21KT 10SM -RA FEW041 30/18 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP180 P0000 T03000183=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA21LA219.