Cessna 172M accident near Trenton, Florida, December 28, 2001
On December 28, 2001, a Cessna 172M, registered N4452Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trenton, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to make a precautionary landing after sustaining a total loss of electrical power with sufficient fuel remaining to reach his destination airport. This resulted in an off field landing to an off site location in a remote area (open field) without landing lights and a subsequent on-ground collision with a berm on landing rollout. A factor to the accident was a failed voltage regulator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2001
- Place
- Trenton, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N4452Q · no longer on the register · serial 17261721
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot experienced a total loss of electrical power at night and made an in-flight decision to conduct a precautionary landing in a remote area (open field) without landing lights with sufficient fuel remaining to reach his destination airport. The airplane collided with a berm on landing rollout. Examination of the electrical system revealed a failed voltage regulator
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,927 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 24, 2001; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Apollo Aviation Company Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL at 10:25 pm
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from GNV, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.