Cessna 172R accident near Fort Myers, Florida, April 16, 2006
On April 16, 2006 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N417FR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida (Page Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was a malfunction of the elevator control for an undetermined reason, which required excessive forward pressure on the yoke to maintain pitch control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2006 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Page Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N417FR · no longer on the register · serial 17280305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial takeoff climb on the instructional flight, the airplane's pitch attitude began to increase. A constant forward pressure was necessary on the yoke to maintain control, and the use of nose down trim did not rectify the problem. The necessary forward pressure on the yoke increased. After declaring an emergency, the flight instructor made a 180-degree turn in an attempt to land back on the runway. Witnesses observed the airplane reverse course and then as it was flying over the runway, turn sharply left, enter a nose down attitude, and impact the ground. Post-accident examination of the airplane's flight control system did not reveal any anomalies. The reason for the excessive forward pressure on the yoke required to maintain control was not determined.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,602 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2006; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: FMY Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,406 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: vv; clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FMY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.