Cessna 172S accident near Ormond Beach, Florida, October 21, 2006
On October 21, 2006 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N401ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ormond Beach, Florida (Ormond Beach Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 initiate a recovery from the bounced landing resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2006 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ormond Beach, Florida · Ormond Beach Municipal · 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
- N401ER · registry record · serial 172S10057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the flight proceeded to the destination airport and was cleared by air traffic control to land on runway 8. The flight turned from the downwind leg onto base, then onto final approach and with 30-degrees of flaps extended, attempted to maintain 61 knots for the practice short field landing. She began to flare but felt the main landing gear wheels "skid against the pavement" and the airplane then became airborne. She maintained the aft elevator input and again felt the main landing gear wheels skid on the runway and the airplane became airborne again. After the third touchdown the airplane remained on the runway and she taxied to the ramp. According to the NTSB "Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report" form, witness reported seeing a flat approach, contact with the runway, then the airplane porpoised. The recommendations section of the report indicates that a go-around should have been performed upon first indication of a faulty approach.
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: 89 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
The flight
- Departed from: KDAB Daytona Beach FL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KOMN Ormond Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,004 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.