Cessna 172S accident near Lakeland, Florida, December 17, 2004
On December 17, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N375LP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional 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 faulure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the landing roll resulting in the on-ground collision with a taxiway sign and subsequent collapse of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N375LP · no longer on the register · serial 172S9375
- 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 after takeoff the flight proceeded towards the destination airport, but he elected to perform a touch-and-go landing at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The flight was cleared for the touch-and-go landing on runway 09, and after touchdown on the centerline of the runway, the airplane bounced 1-2 feet, then touched down again. The airplane began slowly drifting to the left which he was unable to correct with right rudder input. He applied power to go around, then elected to stay on the ground, and with right rudder applied, the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The airplane collided with a taxiway sign causing separation of the nose landing gear. The airplane then came to rest and the occupants exited the airplane. A surface weather observation (METAR) report taken on the airport approximately 4 minutes after the accident indicates the wind was from 030 degrees at 4 knots. Examination of the left and right steering tube assemblies was performed by personnel from Cessna Aircraft Company, with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight. The examination revealed the tube (P/N 0543021-1) of both steering tube assemblies were fractured due to overstress at the formed bead; deformation of the tubes was noted at the fracture location. Additionally, the left "Bearing-rod end" P/N S1823-3 had fractured at the location of the first thread. The fracture surface was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory which revealed it fractured due to "bending overstress." According to the Director of Maintenance of the operator, there was no record that either steering tube assemblies being replaced since airplane was manufactured on April 30, 2003. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated approximately 884 hours since overhaul.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 289 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,498 hours in all; 73 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 884 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 15, 2004; 4.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sterling Flight Training By Malone Air, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KCRG Jacksonville FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: KRSW Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:34 pm from KLAL
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.
Other NTSB records under N375LP 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.