Cessna 172P accident near Gainesville, Florida, February 14, 2008
On February 14, 2008 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62283, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2008 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62283 · registry record · serial 17275244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the Cessna 172P stated that he was conducting a solo cross-country flight. After entering the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg, he configured the airplane for landing and reduced the engine power to idle on the final leg of the approach. During the landing, the airplane "porpoised and landed hard" resulting in damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,589 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 7,504 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from GNV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N62283 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.