Cessna 172M accident near Missing, AO, May 23, 1991
On May 23, 1991 at about 6:32 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73186, was destroyed in an accident near Missing, AO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSE OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING AND DITCHING IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1991 · about 6:32 pm local time
- Place
- Missing, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73186 · no longer on the register · serial 17267313
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED MARATHON, FLORIDA EN ROUTE TO HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA. A VFR FLIGHT PLANE WAS FILED BUT NOT ACTIVATED. THE PLT REPORTED ON GUARD FREQUENCY 'I'VE GOT NO OIL PRESSURE, I'AM GOING TO DITCH'. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED BY U.S. COAST GUARD AND TERMINATED 2 DAYS LATER. THE PLT'S FLIGHT BAG WASHED ASHORE. NO AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS SIGHTED. THE PLT IS PRESUMED DEAD.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 510 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:45 pm from MTH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.