Cessna 172S accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, June 10, 2014
On June 10, 2014 at about 1:58 am local time, a 2014 Cessna 172S, registered N5524L, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined due to the postaccident condition of the wreckage. Contributing to the accident was the pilots' decision to turn back to the airport, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2014 · about 1:58 am local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2014 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N5524L · no longer on the register · serial 172S11378
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and a private pilot receiving instruction were conducting a night proficiency flight and had completed two touch-and-go landings. A witness reported that, during the initial climb after the second touch-and-go landing, the airplane experienced a series of engine "backfires," followed by an audible loss of rpm. The airplane struggled to gain altitude and airspeed as it continued on an easterly heading. He then observed the airplane's right wing dip, followed by a right turn back toward the airport, after which the airplane stalled and then entered a nose-down descent. After the airplane impacted the ground, it was destroyed by a postcrash fire. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, the postaccident condition of the wreckage precluded a functional check of the engine and its accessories. There was no evidence that medical issues, medications, or toxic substances impaired the flight instructor or contributed to the accident. Toxicology testing on the pilot receiving instruction detected concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component in marijuana, in cavity blood but not in the brain. In addition, and THC's primary metabolite was detected in cavity blood and urine but not in the brain. Given that no THC was detected in the pilot's brain, it is likely that some of the THC detected in the cavity blood resulted from postmortem redistribution. However, the investigation found no operational evidence of impairment for the pilot. Therefore, although the pilot had used marijuana at some time before the flight, there was no evidence that he was impaired by it at the time of the accident.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,168 hours in all; 1,168 in this make and model; 1,079 as pilot in command; 968 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 10, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 139 hours in all; 139 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 9, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 104 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 4, 2014; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 104 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Phoenix East Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 1:58 am
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7R, 3,195 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 am from DAB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
19 documents, released by the NTSB on June 29, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.