Cessna 172S accident near St Petersburg, Florida, March 1, 2017
On March 1, 2017 at about 4:19 pm local time, a 2005 Cessna 172S, registered N22904, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted 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 overcompensation of right rudder pedal application during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and impact with runway signage and a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2017 · about 4:19 pm local time
- Place
- St Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S S, built 2005 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N22904 · registry record · serial 172S9961
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during a solo flight, he was performing takeoffs and full-stop landings in the traffic pattern. During the landing roll, he configured the flaps to 0 and applied full power. The airplane pulled to the left, and he overcompensated the right rudder pedal application. "In an immediate reaction to reverse this I applied left rudder to quickly and went immediately to far left causing a fishtailing effect." The airplane exited the runway to the left and struck runway signage and a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, the landing gear attachment points, the horizontal stabilizer, and the elevator. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,565.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 25, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 4,566 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSPG St. Petersburg FL at 4:19 pm
- Destination: KSPG St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 3,677 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 4:23 pm from KSPG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 30, 2017. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | 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.
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.