Cessna 172M accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, July 18, 2001
On July 18, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13237, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a ferry 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13237 · no longer on the register · serial 17262598
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 172, was ditched off the coast of Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island, after a partial loss of engine power. The flight departed Fort Lauderdale Executive, Florida. According to the pilot, while making a descent from 5500 feet to 4500 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot began the necessary emergency procedures to regain full power of the engine. The engine never regained full power, and he elected to ditch in the ocean. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean for examination.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,838 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 11,759 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 740 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 655 as pilot in command; 218 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: MYGF Freeport
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from MYGF, 7 miles away
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.