Cessna 172G accident near Jacksonville, Florida, December 12, 1990
On December 12, 1990 at about 11:30 am local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N5780R, was destroyed in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Herlong airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1990 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Herlong · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5780R · no longer on the register · serial 17253449
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT DEPARTED INTO KNOWN FOGGY CONDITIONS WITH A PAX ABOARD TO PRACTICE TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS. AFTER TAKEOFF THE FLT ENCOUNTERED FOG & THE STUDENT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT, STALLED, DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED INTO TREES. THERE WAS NO ENG OR FLT CONTROL 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: student
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 30 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from NZC, 5 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.