Cessna 172N accident near Carrabelle, Florida, September 8, 2007
On September 8, 2007 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1954F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrabelle, Florida (Dog Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper flare by the pilot-in-command 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
- September 8, 2007 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Carrabelle, Florida · Dog Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1954F · no longer on the register · serial 17273044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was high on final approach which resulted in the pilot performing a slip to lose altitude. The airplane landed hard, bounced 7-10 feet agl, floated down the runway, then landed on the main landing gear. After lowering the nose the pilot felt a vibration and the airplane then nosed over. The nose landing gear strut separated from the airframe, and the nose landing gear fork fractured. There was no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the nose landing gear components.
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: 100 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 36 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,898.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2007; 63.5 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: KTLH Tallahassee FL at 2:05 pm
- Destination: FA43 Carrabelle FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,700 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KAAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.