Cessna 172P accident near Clearwater, Florida, April 29, 1995
On April 29, 1995 at about 4:57 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N96EP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (St. Petersburg-Clearwater 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION AFTER THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED DURING THE LANDING FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1995 · about 4:57 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · St. Petersburg-Clearwater
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N96EP · no longer on the register · serial 17276256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING FLARE THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED. THE PILOT PUSHED THE NOSE OVER AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDING HARD ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED DOWN AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND.
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: 150 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,075 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 28, 1995; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Flying Adventure INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BKV Brooksville FL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: PIE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,165 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:01 pm from PIE, 1 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.