Cessna 172K accident near Rockledge, Florida, August 2, 1992
On August 2, 1992 at about 4:18 am local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N1196M, was destroyed in an accident near Rockledge, Florida (Rockledge Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OPERATION, LACK OF EXPERIENCE AT THE AIRPORT IN THE TYPE OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1992 · about 4:18 am local time
- Place
- Rockledge, Florida · Rockledge Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1196M · registry record · serial 17258696
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLT DEPARTED, THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT & ADVISED THE BRIEFER THAT THERE WERE RAIN SHOWERS AT THE ARPT. THE BRIEFER ADVISED THE PLT THEY WOULD PASS THROUGH IN 30-45 MINUTES, THEN THE AREA WOULD BE CLEAR. THE PLT CALLED AGAIN, RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING & FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLT DEPARTED, AND THE PLT ACTIVATED HIS FLT PLAN. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PLT. WITNESSES NEAR THE DESTINATION ARPT REPORTED HEARING AN ACFT MAKE TWO PASSES TO THE SOUTH ORIENTED RWY IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND DURING THE DARK NIGHT. DURING THE THIRD APPROACH, THE ACFT STALLED & CRASHED APRX 1/4 MILE SHORT OF THE RWY. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED. THERE WAS NO PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ENG. REVIEW OF THE PLT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT THERE WAS A BREAK IN HIS FLYING FROM 7/24/89 TO 6/20/92. THE LAST ENTRY LOGGED WAS A NIGHT FLT ON 7/19/92. THE PREVIOUS NIGHT FLT WAS ON 7/8/89. IN THE PREVIOUS 3 YRS ONLY 1 NIGHT LANDING LOGGED AT THE DESTINATION ARPT.
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: 771 hours in all; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 718 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,874 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1992; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rockledge Air Park, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 2RR River Ranch FL at 3:33 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 2,010 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from MLB, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.