Cessna 172RG accident near Orlando, Florida, September 24, 1999
On September 24, 1999 at about 6:28 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9536B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive 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 pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was down and locked following loss of electrical power for undetermined reasons, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane when the right main landing gear collapsed upon landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1999 · about 6:28 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9536B · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that after leaving St. Petersburg, he experienced radio problems and the alternator tripped off line. The instructor said he could not reset it, so he turned the master switch off, and continued the flight. Prior to landing, the instructor said that he turned on the master switch, extended the landing gear, visibly checked that the left gear was down, but did not get a gear light. During landing, the instructor said the right main gear settled to the runway and gave way, with the airplane exiting the runway. The instructor said that he never attempted to manually pump the gear down. The FAA inspector who conducted the post crash examination of the airplane said that he found the airplane with the left main gear extended and locked, the nose wheel sheared off, and the right gear collapsed into the gear well. The inspector also stated that witnesses told him that they saw the right main gear trailing prior to landing. The inspector stated that the aircraft battery was almost depleted of electrical energy, and the low voltage warning light was on. According to the inspector, thirty degrees of flaps was selected, but the flaps were extended about 10 to 15 degrees, and the manual extension pump for the landing gear was stowed, with no evidence of recent use. The inspector said that after supporting the aircraft and starting the engine, no electrical problems were found.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 9,300 as pilot in command; 927 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,401 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1999; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orlando Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St. Petersburg FL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: ORL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 6,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 19 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:37 pm from ORL
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.