Cessna 172 accident near Palatka, Florida, April 29, 2024
On April 29, 2024 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 1985 Cessna 172, registered N99442, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Palatka, Florida (Palatka Muni - Lt Kay Larkin F airport). 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 failure of the nose oil seal to remain secure in the engine crankcase, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2024 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palatka, Florida · Palatka Muni - Lt Kay Larkin F · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P, built 1985 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N99442 · registry record · serial 17276447
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that when attempting to climb from his cruise altitude to an altitude at which he could begin a practice approach, the engine began to run rough and climb performance deteriorated. He discontinued the practice approach and turned direct to the airport; checking his instruments, he saw that the engine oil pressure was low and "in the red.” While proceeding to the airport, the engine performance continued to degrade, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. About 2 miles from the airport, the pilot realized he would not be able to make the runway and performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the landing. Postaccident examination of the engine found the nose oil seal was protruding about 3/8 inch out of the recess in the crankcase, which allowed engine oil to be expelled from the crankcase and resulted in the loss of oil pressure. The crankshaft main journals and bearings and the rod journals and bearings exhibited light scoring. This was likely due to the lack of oil for lubrication and resulted in the power loss that the pilot experienced as the journals and bearings began to overheat. The engine had been operated for about 6,089 hours during the 19-year period since its last overhaul. The engine manufacturer recommended overhaul at 12 years or 2,000 hours of operation, whichever occurred first. Had the engine been overhauled in accordance with the engine manufacturer’s recommendations the nose oil seal would have been replaced, and it is likely that it would have remained secure.
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 approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 249 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 138 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,413.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 2024; 20.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 10,243 hours total
- Operator: Florida Aviation Career Training INC
The flight
- Departed from: SGJ Saint Augustine FL at 8:20 pm
- Destination: 28J Palatka FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from 28J, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K28J 292055Z AUTO 11014KT 10SM SCT055 BKN070 27/17 A3004 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on June 4, 2025. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Ia Mechanic | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Wreckage Examination Summary | PDF, 28 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Lycoming Service Instruction 1009BE | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA198.