Cessna 172N accident near Panama City, Florida, September 7, 2026
On September 7, 2026 at about 3:59 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734NM, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Panama City, Florida (Northwest Florida Beaches Intl 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2026 · about 3:59 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Northwest Florida Beaches Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734NM · registry record · serial 17268984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 7, 2026, about 1059 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N airplane, N734NM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Panama City, Florida. The student pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that this was his second flight of the day in the accident airplane, and that there were no abnormalities experienced during the first flight. Prior to the accident flight, a preflight inspection and engine run-up were completed with no indication of any abnormalities. A normal takeoff was accomplished with the airplane accelerating normally to rotation speed. During initial climb, about 300 ft above ground level, both pilots observed a loss of engine power, despite the throttle and mixture controls being in the full forward position. The flight instructor continued that there was no smoke, vibration, or “catastrophic engine noise” coincident with the loss of power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and executed an emergency forced landing, straight ahead, onto airport property. During the forced landing, the airplane’s right wing struck a runway approach light which resulted in substantial damage. 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 (partial) during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Tin Cup Investments INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from ECP, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KECP 071553Z 28003KT 10SM FEW031 31/24 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP155 T03110239
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.
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 ERA26LA342.