Cessna 172RG accident near Melbourne, Florida, December 28, 1991
On December 28, 1991 at about 3:59 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9718B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE DEMONSTRATING A POWER OFF APPROACH TO THE STUDENT AND HIS IMPROPER RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS DURING GO AROUND FROM THE APPROACH RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1991 · about 3:59 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9718B · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0988
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO PVT RATED STUDENT AND THE ACFT OPERATOR THE CFI WAS DESIGNATED PILOT IN COMMAND FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. THE STUDENT DID NOT HAVE A COMPLEX ACFT CHECKOUT AND COULD NOT BE PILOT IN COMMAND. ACCORDING TO THE CFI AND STUDENT THE STUDENT PERFORMED A POWER OFF APPROACH. ON BASE LEG WHEN IT APPEARED ACFT WAS LOW CFI TOOK CONTROLS TO COMPLETE APPCH. WHEN FINAL WAS OVERSHOT CFI STARTED GO AROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO RAISE FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES. THE ACFT STALLED AND DESCENDED LEFT WING LOW STRIKING THE GROUND. THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED. POST CRASH EXAMINATION INDICATED THE FLAPS WERE FULLY RETRACTED AT GROUND IMPACT. THE ACFT'S ENGINE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, FLAP SYSTEM, AND STALL WARNING SYSTEM WERE INSPECTED AND REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command; 180 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 1991; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1AG (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpha Flight, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:08 pm from MLB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.