Cessna 172R accident near Wauchula, Florida, October 1, 2001
On October 1, 2001 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N851CP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wauchula, Florida (Wauchula airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft while attempting to take off after executing a touch-and-go landing, in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a ground swerve, and the aircraft exiting the runway, and incurring substantial damage when it collided with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2001 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Wauchula, Florida · Wauchula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N851CP · registry record · serial 17280480
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the touch-and-go landing, as he applied power, and reached for the flap control to take off, the left wing lifted, then dropped, and the aircraft went suddenly to the left, into the grass. He said he reduced power and tried to steer the aircraft toward the taxiway, but it collided with a ditch, incurring substantial damage.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 115 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,631 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 27, 2001; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,457 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lyc. IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: FD06 Wauchula FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SRQ, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA02LA002.