Cessna 172N accident near Lakeland, Florida, September 4, 1999
On September 4, 1999 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N172AN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland-Linder Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilots improper use of brakes on landing rollout resulting in a loss of directional control and subsequent collision with a ditch. Contributing to the accident was the certified flight instructors improper supervision of the student pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1999 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland-Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N172AN · no longer on the register · serial 17272419
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated he made a normal landing to runway 23. He applied brakes on landing rollout and the airplane started to veer to the right. The CFI got on the flight controls and they both applied left rudder with negative results. The airplane continued off the right side of the runway, through the grass, and collided with a ditch. A functional check of the brakes revealed no deficiencies.
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: 3,246 hours in all; 775 in this make and model; 213 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 3,161 as pilot in command; 1,607 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,781 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1999; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKV Brooksville FL at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:01 pm from LAL
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.