Cessna 172S accident near Orlando, Florida, February 15, 2008
On February 15, 2008 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N618VT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Orlando, Florida (Orlando International 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 student pilot's inadequate 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
- February 15, 2008 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando International Airport · 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
- N618VT · registry record · serial 172S9719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that at 4 nautical miles from runway 18 right, the approach was stabilized with flaps and a constant airspeed of 65 knots was maintained . As the airplane descended, over the end of the runway, the pilot's eyes shifted to the runway markings directly in front. The airplane bounced on the main landing gear and upon the bounce, the pilot recovered with additional power to re-stabilize the approach/landing. The airplane bounced again and thereafter had a hard nose-low landing onto the runway. After the hard landing, the right rudder pedal travel was limited; however, the student pilot was able to taxi off the active runway to the fix base operator where the airplane was secured and exited. The student pilot stated to NTSB that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its 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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 81 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Worldwide Aviation Group, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KLEE Leesburg FL
- Destination: KMCO Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18R
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft; a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.