Cessna 172SP accident near Homestead, Florida, May 7, 2008
On May 7, 2008 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172SP, registered N513JG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Homestead, Florida (Homestead 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 pilot's improper flare. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2008 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172SP · all 172SPs on the register
- Registration
- N513JG · registry record · serial 172S9692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor and student pilot were performing touch-and-go landings in a Cessna 172SP. The airplane made "hard contact" with the runway during a landing attempt. The student pilot immediately applied full power and aborted the landing. The flight instructor and student then continued to their home airport, where they landed uneventfully. Subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall and landing gear were substantially damaged.
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 Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,182 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 144 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,952 as pilot in command; 204 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,889 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dean International, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL
- Destination: X51 Homestead FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,997 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TMB, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N513JG 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.