Cessna 172F accident near Lake Wales, Florida, September 23, 1988
On September 23, 1988 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N8707U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Charlet Suzanne Airstrip 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1988 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Charlet Suzanne Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8707U · no longer on the register · serial 17252611
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF FROM THE 'THICK, WET' GRASS STRIP BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS NOT ACCELERATING 'ADEQUATELY.' HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT IT WENT OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE, TREE, AND DIRT MOUND BEFORE COMING TO REST. THERE WAS NO ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: 264 hours in all; 203 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1988; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: COI Cocoa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,450 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from BOW, 9 miles away
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 N8707U 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.