Cessna 172S accident near Glen Saint Mary, Florida, July 2, 2005
On July 2, 2005 at about 5:14 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N53269, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glen Saint Mary, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The separation of a plastic sleeve off the idle stop of the servo fuel injector for undetermined reasons resulting in decreased fuel flow and subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2005 · about 5:14 pm local time
- Place
- Glen Saint Mary, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N53269 · no longer on the register · serial 172S9318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot departed on an instructional flight and when the CFI reduced throttle to demonstrate a power-off stall to the student, the engine experienced a loss of power, but the propeller continued to windmill. Attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful and the CFI maneuvered the airplane towards a nearby field. The airplane was landed in the field before a row of trees and collided with them during the landing roll. Two weeks before the accident the engine "...cut out on round out at Fernandina Airport." The corrective action performed by maintenance personnel included adjusting the idle speed and the idle mixture. The CFI reported that on several previous occasions when flying the accident airplane, the engine experienced a loss of power when the throttle was reduced. . Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a sufficient quantity of fuel. During an engine run in a test cell at the manufacturer's facility the engine lost power when the throttle was reduced below 1,500 rpm. The engine was only able to sustain operation at low power settings by manually leaning the fuel to air ratio. Examination of the servo fuel injector (servo) at the manufacturer's facility following the engine run revealed a plastic sleeve was missing/separated from the idle stop. Bench testing of the servo at the manufacturer's facility revealed with the throttle at the idle stop and the mixture control in the full rich position, the airflow in terms of pounds-per-hour was 6.0 instead of 100.0, and the fuel flow was 1.2 pph instead of 6.0 to 7.0 pph. Further bench testing of the servo revealed the fuel flow at 4 of the test points exceeded specified limits, while the fuel flow was within limits at 2 of the test points. No determination could be made as to when the plastic sleeve separated from the idle stop.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 285 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 738.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2005; 22.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dreamcatcher Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KHEG Jacksonville FL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KHEG
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from KVQQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.