Cessna 172S accident near Melbourne, Florida, June 18, 2003
On June 18, 2003 at about 1:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N53352, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Regional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his failure to execute a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2003 · about 1:25 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Regional · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N53352 · registry record · serial 172S9352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated to an airport operator official that the airplane touched on the right of center line and bounced up with the engine power at idle. The airplane touched down a second time approximately 5 feet off the right side of runway 27L in the grass. The airplane continued to porpoise in the grass, bounced two more times well right of the runway. As the airplane began to porpoise for a third time, it descended toward a drainage ditch that was approximate 6 feet deep. The nose of the aircraft touched down in the middle of the ditch, causing the airplane to flip over, tail over nose. The pilot evacuated the airplane with no injuries.
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: 85 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 28, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 66.4 hours
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fit Aviation, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KTLH Tallahassee FL
- Destination: KMLB Melbourne FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27L
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from MLB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.