Cessna 172 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, July 19, 1996
On July 19, 1996 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N62224, was substantially damaged in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane during a high speed taxi check, which resulted in a lift-off and subsequent collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1996 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N62224 · no longer on the register · serial R1720168
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he took the airplane for a taxi run, in order to check the airplane's performance at taxi speed. He further stated that during the taxi run, while halfway down the runway, the airplane became airborne and lurched to the left. He said he then reduced the throttle, cut the mixture control, and turned the fuel selector valve off. The airplane then hit the ground and slid to a stop with damage to the left wing, landing gear, propeller, engine mounts, and windshield.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from VRB, 30 miles away
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.