Textron Aviation 172 accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, March 1, 2025
On March 1, 2025 at about 4:38 pm local time, a 2023 Textron Aviation 172, registered N923EP, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2025 · about 4:38 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 172 S, built 2023
- Registration
- N923EP · registry record · serial 172S13038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 1, 2025, about 1138 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172S, N923EP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14?Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor stated that the accident flight was the student’s first flight in an airplane. Prior to departure from New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (EVB), New Smyrna Beach, Florida, the left fuel tank was fueled, bringing the total fuel onboard to 51.6 gallons. No discrepancies were noted during the preflight inspection or engine run-up prior to departure. The flight instructor performed a departure briefing, and after holding short of the runway briefly, was cleared for takeoff. During the takeoff roll with the mixture control full rich and full throttle applied, the engine rpm was more than 2,300, which increased to 2,400 rpm after getting airborne. When the airplane was about 180 ft above the runway the engine rpm dropped and the engine lost power completely. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and executed an emergency landing, turning “everything fuel related off.” He pitched down to maintain airspeed, declared a mayday with the air traffic control tower and touched down on the beginning of the threshold for runway 2, then rolled onto grass. To avoid nosing over the flight instructor tried not to brake excessively and maneuvered the airplane toward a fence to avoid vehicles on a road that was off-airport. The airplane collided with the fence and nosed over. A review of the operator-provided download of on-board avionics revealed that takeoff power was applied at 1137:41, and the rpm remained above 2,400 until 1138:04, when the rpm and fuel flow began to decrease. The engine rpm continued to decrease to 0. The airplane was recovered and retained for further examination.
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 takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,029 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 24, 2025; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Epic Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 am from KEVB
Weather report (METAR): KEVB 011647Z 24008KT 10SM CLR 22/07 A3001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.