Cessna 172N accident near Vero Beach, Florida, November 29, 1990
On November 29, 1990 at about 12:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733UC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero 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 PILOT TO PERFROM A PROPER LANDING FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN 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
- November 29, 1990 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733UC · registry record · serial 17268550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED NORMAL LDG MADE ON MAIN GEAR. THE NOSE WAS THEN LOWERED AT WHICH TIME THE ACFT MIGHT HAVE BOUNCED. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND VEER TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSING. THE NOSE GEAR TIRE WAS FOUND FLAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THE ENGINE FIRE WALL WAS FOUND BENT.
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: 207 hours in all; 57 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 12:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11R, 7,296 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from VRB
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.