Cessna 172S accident near Opa Locka, Florida, August 31, 2005
On August 31, 2005 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N5213M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Opa Locka, Florida (Opa Locka West Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A 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
- August 31, 2005 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Opa Locka, Florida · Opa Locka West Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N5213M · registry record · serial 172S9127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated he had just completed a touch and go landing and was between 50 to 100 feet AGL on initial climb out when the engine sputtered and lost power. He lowered the nose and made a forced landing on the runway. There was insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway about 150 feet, encountered a 3 foot drop off, collapsed the nose wheel, and came to a complete stop. Forty gallons of 100-low lead fuel was drained from the fuel tanks. The fuel strainer was drained and there was no evidence of fuel contamination. The fuel lines from the wing fuselage juncture to the fuel strainer revealed no evidence of blockage, and the fuel screens were free of contamination. The engine assembly was removed and transported to an authorized repair facility for an examination. The engine was mounted in a test stand and an alternate fuel, battery source, and electric fuel pump was attached. A test club propeller, engine controls, and a magneto grounding wires were installed. The engine was started and ran through multiple cycles from idle power to full power. The engine idled smoothly between 550 to 650 rpm and exhibited 25 rpm rise when the when the mixture was cut off. After the engine warmed up, the throttle was advanced to 2,000 rpm and a magneto check was completed. The throttle was advanced to full power and back to the idle position. The engine was shut down with the mixture control.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 18 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,301 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2005; 97.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aero Engines IO-360L-2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airborne Systems
The flight
- Departed from: X46 Opa Locka FL at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OPF, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.