Cessna 172S accident near Orlando, Florida, August 7, 2003
On August 7, 2003 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N775SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive 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 failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff roll resulting in the aircraft departing the runway and incurring substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2003 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N775SP · registry record · serial 172S875
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was on his second touch-and-go of his first solo flight, when he added power and was rolling down the runway. He noted the airplane was headed toward the left edge of the runway and applied right rudder to compensate; the airplane did not respond to the input. He reduced engine power, however, the airplane skidded off the runway on to the grass for about 45 feet before coming to a full stop.The student's flight instructor stated that he observed the student perform the first touch-and-go well and without incident. He mentioned on the second landing, shortly after the airplane touched down, the aircraft rolled on the runway for a few seconds then turned into the grass and then the nose gear of the airplane collapsed. A mechanic performed a visual inspection of the airplane and rudder system after the accident and stated he could not find any obstructions in the rudder system that would have attributed to the accident.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,151 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 3, 2003; 88.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Orlando Flight School
The flight
- Departed from: KORL Orlando FL at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from KORL, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N775SP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.