Cessna 172 accident near Boca Raton, Florida, May 12, 2017
On May 12, 2017 at about 5:50 pm local time, a 2006 Cessna 172, registered N23759, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Boca Raton, Florida (Boca Raton 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2017 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Boca Raton, Florida · Boca Raton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 2006 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N23759 · no longer on the register · serial 17281275
- 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 reported that, while on final, "there was turbulence," and "just before landing [he] felt a strong crosswind pushing [him] to the right." Subsequently, the airplane touched down, veered off the right side of the runway, encountered a small ditch, and impacted a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 180° at 10 knots. The pilot landed on runway 5.
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 defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 25.7 in the last 90 days; 8.6 in the last 30 days; 1.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,801.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 11, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,457 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 1,715 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCT Boca Raton FL at 5:40 pm
- Destination: BCT Boca Raton FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 6,276 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from BCT, 1 miles away
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 June 28, 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 | Accident Photo | 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.