Cessna 172SP accident near Clearwater, Florida, May 2, 2005
On May 2, 2005 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172SP, registered N66113, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2005 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172SP · all 172SPs on the register
- Registration
- N66113 · no longer on the register · serial 17259782
- 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 he was flying traffic patterns and was practicing landings to a full stop. His first landing was satisfactory, just landing beyond the runway numbers. The second traffic pattern was again satisfactory until he was on short final approach. His airspeed was too high, and the airplane touched down just passed the runway numbers and bounced "high". He misjudged the severity of the bounced landing and failed to apply engine power to correct the situation. The airplane immediately started to porpoise, and became "uncontrollable". The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunction to the airplane or any of it's systems prior 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 154 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from PIE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.