Cessna 172S accident near Kissimmee, FL

On December 8, 2009, a Cessna 172S (airplane) was involved in an accident near Kissimmee, FL. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

December 8, 2009

Place

Kissimmee, FL

Aircraft

Cessna 172S · Airplane

Injuries

4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

28.141°N, 81.416°W

NTSB ID

20091208X41743

Official records · ERA10FA091

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Orlando Approach Air Traffic Control Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Orlando Approach Air Traffic Control Personnel Written Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 7, 2009, at 2223 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna 172, N5269X, was destroyed by impacting the water on Lake Russell near Kissimmee, Florida. The certificated, non-instrument rated, private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed from Florida Gateway Airport (ISM), Kissimmee, Florida, with an intended destination of Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Security camera recordings revealed that the pilot and three passengers arrived at the fixed base operator (FBO) facility at 2126. Another camera showed the pilot standing at a weather computer for approximately 8 minutes, but the computer screen contents were not discernible. The video image data showed that at approximately 2140, the pilot and three passengers walked to the airplane, and from 2140 until approximately 2153 someone appeared to conduct a preflight inspection of the airplane with a flashlight, however due to the lack of lighting the person’s identity was unable to be confirmed. About 2153, the airplane engine was started, and for approximately the next 10 minutes, the airplane remained stationary, with the engine running. At 2208, the airplane began to taxi out of the parking spot with its taxi light illuminated. Several witnesses employed by the FBO provided written statements to the NTSB. Their accounts were similar to what was obse

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to depart under special VFR flight at night when instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the departure airport and along the route of flight and his continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of aircraft control.

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Browse: Florida · Cessna aircraft

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.