Cessna 172 accident near Williston, Florida, September 13, 2025
On September 13, 2025 at about 11:33 am local time, a 1965 Cessna 172, registered N345QA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Williston, Florida (Williston Rgnl 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 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
- September 13, 2025 · about 11:33 am local time
- Place
- Williston, Florida · Williston Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 G, built 1965 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N345QA · registry record · serial 17253628
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 13, 2025, about 0733 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N345QA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Williston, Florida. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the flight departed Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), Orlando, Florida, about 0600 with 17 gallons of fuel onboard, overflew Cross City Airport (CTY), Cross City, Florida, and was scheduled to land at Williston Regional Airport (X60), Williston, Florida. About 1.5 hours after departure, while the airplane transitioned from the base leg to the final leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 05 at X60, the engine experienced a momentary loss of power, followed shortly thereafter by a total loss of power. The pilot was unable to restore power to the engine and performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in a grass field about 0.25-mile from the approach end of runway 05. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing strut. The airplane was 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 approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,535.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2025; 18.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: KORL Orlando FL at 10:01 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 6,669 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 am from X60, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KX60 131135Z AUTO 36006KT 10SM SCT055 19/18 A3000 RMK AO2 T01910181
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.