Cessna 172R accident near Orlando, Florida, September 8, 2001
On September 8, 2001 at about 2:20 am local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N859CP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to keep a proper visual lookout and ensure proper clearance during taxi operations, which resulted in a collision with another parked aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2001 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N859CP · registry record · serial 172-80540
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that he was taxiing N859CP when he saw the landing light from another aircraft flash at him. He said he partially lost his night vision, and then realized that the other aircraft's engine was operating, but the aircraft did not have its position or beacon lights illuminated, so he thought it was a flight crew about to depart. He said he turned his aircraft's taxi light off, so as not to affect their night vision also, but when he looked up again, he saw he was about to collide with the other parked aircraft. He said he tried to apply the brakes, but it was too late, and the other aircraft's propeller struck his aircraft's wing. According to an FAA inspector who conducted the postaccident investigation, the other aircraft, N9531D was being operated by company maintenance personnel while it was tied down, and was not being operated with any intent for flight.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 626 hours in all; 184 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 565 as pilot in command; 336 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 31, 1998
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 171 hours in all; 80 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 113 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,965 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 2001; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Cont IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from ORL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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.