Cessna 172SP accident near Boynton Beach, Florida, October 10, 2010
On October 10, 2010 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172SP, registered N423FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Boynton Beach, Florida. It was a personal 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
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
- October 10, 2010 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Boynton Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172SP · all 172SPs on the register
- Registration
- N423FT · no longer on the register · serial 172S9708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the pilot noticed the engine was running rough and it subsequently lost power. The pilot performed an emergency landing next to a road, during which the airplane impacted a sign and nosed over into a canal. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact abnormalities that could account for the loss of engine power, and adequate fuel was drained from the airplane. While the airplane was operating in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power at the time of the accident, the investigation was unable to determine if carburetor ice caused the power loss.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 317 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 30, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,879 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fort Lauderdale Executive Flight School Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Ft. Lauderdale FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: LNA Lantana FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PBI, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.