Cessna 172S accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, April 9, 2012
On April 9, 2012 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N375LP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Daytona Beach, Florida. It was an instructional 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
A total loss of engine power due to a catastrophic engine failure, the origin of which could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2012 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N375LP · no longer on the register · serial 172S9375
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon reaching a cruise altitude of 3,000 feet, the engine began to run rough and make loud noises. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, and the engine subsequently lost all power. Oil was present on the windscreen. The instructor performed a forced landing in a nearby field where the nose gear contacted a ditch, resulting in a nose over and substantial damage to the airframe. Initial examination of the engine revealed a hole on the lower case and the camshaft partially protruding from the upper case. Suspecting a failure of the No. 4 piston, it and cylinder were subsequently examined; all fracture surfaces showed signs of overstress; however, there was no indication of preexisting mechanical damage that would have led to progressive failure, including fatigue. No corrosion or chemical degradation was found on the piston fracture surfaces. Accordingly, the initiating event that led to the catastrophic failure of the engine could not be determined.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,737 hours in all; 2,761 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 4,620 as pilot in command; 4,406 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,417 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2012; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air America Flight Center LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Daytona Beach FL at 5:10 pm
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DAB, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N375LP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.