Cessna 172 accident near Palm Bay, Florida, November 18, 2025
On November 18, 2025, a 1979 Cessna 172, registered N6124D, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Palm Bay, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- November 18, 2025
- Place
- Palm Bay, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1979 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6124D · registry record · serial 17272608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 17, 2025, about 1900 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, N6124D, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Palm Bay, Florida. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that the flight departed with full fuel tanks and after takeoff flew to Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), Okeechobee, Florida, where he performed one touch-and-go landing. He then departed to the north, switched the fuel selector to the right tank for between 5 and 15 minutes to balance the fuel consumed. He then switched the fuel selector to both, performed maneuvers, and then while flying about 2,800 ft mean sea level (msl) initiated a practice emergency descent. Prior to initiating the maneuver, he applied carburetor heat, then reduced the throttle to idle, and banked 45° to the left while descending at 120 knots. Upon reaching 1,500 ft msl, he added full power, but the engine rpm only increased from 800 to 1,100 and he heard the engine sputtering. The pilot pitched the airplane for an airspeed of 65 knots, verified that the mixture was full rich and the carburetor heat was on. He also checked the magnetos and tried to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing to a road and after touchdown maneuvered the airplane to the right to avoid a car. During the landing roll the right wing collided with a traffic sign. The airplane veered to the right and came to rest in a ditch with the fuselage elevated in a nearly vertical position. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The wreckage was retained for examination to be performed following recovery.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: OBE Okeechobee FL at 11:25 pm
- Destination: MLB Melbourne FL
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KMLB, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMLB 172353Z 05003KT 10SM CLR 22/16 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP160 T02170161 10256 20206 53014
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.