Cessna 172N accident near Sebring, Florida, October 25, 2002
On October 25, 2002 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N267EP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sebring, Florida (Sebring Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's premature rotation and failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2002 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · Sebring Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N267EP · no longer on the register · serial 17270560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses stated that during the takeoff on runway 36, the airplane yawed to the left, and they observed what appeared to them to be a premature, nose high rotation. They said the nose rose high in the air and the airplane climbed to about 50 or 60 feet, and then the nose of the airplane abruptly fell, while simultaneously turning to the left. The airplane initially hit the ground with the left wing, followed by the propeller/nose and then the right wing in a sort of a cartwheel motion. It came to rest positioned with the tail up, on its main wheels facing south. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that post crash examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator trim had been set to a "nose-down" position, and the flaps were extended about 10 degrees. The inspector noted no anomalies with the accident airplane.
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: 139 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,956 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 2002; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEF Sebring FL at 5:44 pm
- Destination: APF Naples FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 5,190 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MCO, 65 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.
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.