Cessna 172M accident near Pahokee, Florida, July 28, 2011
On July 28, 2011 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N1443U, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Pahokee, Florida (Palm Beach County Glades airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's misjudgment of the airplane's position and airspeed relative to the runway while returning to the airport after a partial loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the separation of the engine's No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve head from the stem, and the operator’s exceedence of the engine manufacturer's recommended time between overhauls.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2011 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pahokee, Florida · Palm Beach County Glades · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1443U · no longer on the register · serial 17267110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that, as the airplane climbed through about 500 feet above the ground after takeoff on the intended dual instructional cross-country flight, the engine started shaking, sputtering, and making “alarming” noises. The flight instructor took control of the airplane, noted nothing abnormal with the mixture, fuel selectors, engine instruments, or fuel quantity, and decided to return to the departure airport to land. The flight instructor noted that there was not a total loss of engine power, but it was not possible to maintain the airplane’s altitude. When the flight instructor realized that the airplane was too high and too fast to land on the intended runway, she moved the throttle to idle; however, she did not use flaps or slip the airplane to reach the runway. The airplane overflew the entire length of the runway, and the flight instructor elected to land the airplane in a lake on the left to avoid obstacles straight ahead and on the right. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve head had sheared off at the stem. The stem, spring, and rocker arm were still intact, and the No. 3 piston exhibited signs of mechanical damage from the sheared head inside the combustion chamber. At the time of the accident, the engine had 2,229.5 hours of operation since major overhaul. The engine manufacturer's recommended time between overhauls was 2,000 hours.
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 (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 404 hours in all; 221 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 339 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,585 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 21, 2011; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atp Aircraft 2 LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PHK Pahokee FL at 4:15 pm
- Destination: FXE Ft. Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from PHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.