Textron Aviation INC 172 accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, January 20, 2024
On January 20, 2024 at about 8:43 pm local time, a 2021 Textron Aviation INC 172, registered N321EP, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near New Smyrna Beach, Florida (New Smyrna Beach Muni airport). 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 failure of the right brake during taxi, which resulted in a taxiway excursion and collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2024 · about 8:43 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida · New Smyrna Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Textron Aviation INC 172 S, built 2021
- Registration
- N321EP · registry record · serial 172S12622
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to start-up, the student pilot performed a preflight inspection while the flight instructor reviewed the airplane maintenance discrepancy sheet. The flight instructor noted that the airplane had recently been written up for inconsistent right brake pressure. Maintenance personnel resolved the discrepancy by tightening the pilot side brake pedal and returned the airplane to service. Everything appeared visually normal during the subsequent preflight inspection, and the student and instructor performed an engine runup with no braking problems noted. During the subsequent taxi to the runway, while attempting to negotiate a turn, the right brake was not effective despite both the student and the instructor applying brake pedal pressure. The airplane went off the taxiway and ultimately struck a tree resulting in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. A review of photographs taken by an FAA inspector of the disassembled braking system components revealed that the right brake master cylinder o-ring appeared worn and possibly had a flat spot. It is possible that the wear/flat-spot of the o-ring could have allowed fluid to bypass it, which would have resulted in the inconsistent brake operation described by the pilots.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 701.7 hours in all; 437.2 in this make and model; 166.7 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 606.3 as pilot in command; 369.3 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 23, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 33.6 hours in all; 33.6 in this make and model; 31.6 in the last 90 days; 10.3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,005 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 6, 2024; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 3,809 hours total
- Operator: Epic Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: vv; a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 am from EVB
Weather report (METAR): KEVB 211547Z COR 04016G24KT 10SM FEW030 12/04 A3048
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 4, 2024. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Instructor Statement and Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record A�� Review of Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Memorandum of Record Textron Aviation Correspondence | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
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.