Accident Overview
On December 7, 2023, about 1248 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, registration N906KS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Zephyrhills, Florida. The flight instructor and student pilot were seriously injured. The aircraft was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
Flight Details
According to the student pilot, who had about 11 hours of total flight experience, he and the flight instructor departed from Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida, to Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH), Zephyrhills, Florida, to practice touch-and-go landings on runway 5. The flight instructor demonstrated the first touch-and-go landing. The student pilot recalled performing the second touch-and-go landing but did not remember what occurred during the third touch-and-go landing. He recalled waking up in the hospital. Due to his injuries, the flight instructor was unable to provide a statement.
Witness and Video Evidence
An airport surveillance video showed the airplane flying about 50 ft above ground level in a nose-high, left-wing-low attitude. The left bank continued to steepen, the airplane’s nose pitched downward, and the airplane began descending steeply toward the ground.
Examination Findings
Initial examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wreckage came to rest on the left side of runway 5. The left wing and engine mounts sustained substantial damage. After recovery, the airplane was examined further. Continuity of the flight control cables was traced through separations that were consistent with overload or cuts made by recovery personnel to facilitate transportation. All primary flight controls were free to move by hand and felt smooth through those movements. The top spark plugs of the engine were removed, and the propeller was rotated by hand, establishing thumb compression on all cylinders. Engine powertrain and valvetrain continuity were verified to the rear accessory section. Both magnetos produced spark on all leads when their input drives were rotated by an electric drill. The carburetor was examined and found clean and free of debris. No anomalies were noted with either the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.