Cessna 172P accident near Tampa, Florida, March 12, 1990
On March 12, 1990 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N9899L, was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, Florida. It was a public-use 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
PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VS), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL (STALL/SPIN), AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1990 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9899L · no longer on the register · serial 17276646
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CIVIL AIR PATROL CESSNA 172P AIRPLANE, DEPARTED RUNWAY 36 AFTER CONDUCTING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, ON A PROFICIENCY FLIGHT, FROM VANDENBERG AIRPORT, TAMPA, FLORIDA. NO FLIGHT PLLAN WAS FILED, AND VFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN 200 TO 500 FEET AGL ON A LEFT CROSSWIND TO DOWNWIND TURN, WITH A 30 TO 35 DEGREE NOSE UP ATTITUDE, AND A 45 TO 90 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN 90 DEGREES, AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN 3/4 OF A TURN TO THE LEFT, BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN, AND A PORTABLE SIGN. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.
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: 237 hours in all; 177 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 111 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,307 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 1990; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,407 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from TPA, 6 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.
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.