Cessna 172K accident near Jacksonville, Florida, June 12, 1991
On June 12, 1991 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79542, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE OIL COOLER RESULTING IN OIL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1991 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79542 · no longer on the register · serial 17258162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENG RPM DROPPED & THE OIL PRESSURE WAS ZERO. DURING THE DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING, THE ENGINE SEIZED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN A FIELD, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE OIL COOLER CASE WAS CRACKED DUE TO FATIGUE. THIS ALLOWED THE OIL SUPPLY TO BECOME EXHAUSTED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,527 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1990; 114 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: 09J Jekyll Island GA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: SPG St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.