Cessna 172RG accident near Sanford, Florida, April 24, 1998
On April 24, 1998 at about 11:18 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9303D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Central Florida Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent stall of the airplane and inadequate supervision of the student by the CFI-PIC while performing a soft field takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1998 · about 11:18 am local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Central Florida Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9303D · no longer on the register · serial 172RG1113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI-PIC stated that the CFI-trainee was performing a soft field takeoff with a 6 knot tailwind, and after rotation while attempting to accelerate, the airplane began veering to the left. He applied full right rudder input but the left turn continued. The CFI-PIC then reduced power, the right wing dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest upright 180-degrees from the departure runway heading. Examination of the aileron and elevator flight control cables revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Impact damage to the airplane precluded determination of rigging of the aileron flight controls. According to another student of the flight school, while performing power-on and power-off stalls, full right rudder would not hold directional control and the left wing would stall first. Review of the airplane squawk sheets for the airplane revealed no discrepancies noted for the aileron flight controls. The engine was removed from the airplane, the impact damaged propeller was replaced, and the engine was started and found to operate normally.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 998 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 281 in the last 90 days; 94 in the last 30 days; 941 as pilot in command; 725 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,977 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 22, 1998; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB at 11:18 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 3,578 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:14 am from SFB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.