Cessna 172G accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, January 13, 1992
On January 13, 1992 at about 11:11 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N121L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1992 · about 11:11 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N121L · registry record · serial 17254798
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL TANKS. DURING CRUISE FLT AT 1,200 FT, 3 HRS 11 MINUTES LATER, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENG BEGAN TO MISS. ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONDITION CONTINUED & THE ACFT BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND OILY SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. THE PLT DITCHED THE ACFT AND IT SANK IN 2,500 FT OF WATER. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED WITH NO INJURIES BUT THE PAX REPORTEDLY LOST HIS LIFEJACKET DURING THE EGRESSION. THE ACFT WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED, AS REQUIRED, WITH A 4-PERSON LIFERAFT & MANUALLY OPERATED EMERGENCY POSITION INDICATING RADIO BEACON, BOTH OF WHICH WERE POSITIONED IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT BUT WERE NOT RECOVERED BEFORE THE ACFT SANK. THE PAX WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE MEDICALLY CERTIFICATED. ACCORDING TO A LAWYER REPRESENTING HIS ESTATE, HE HAD UNDERGONE A CARDIAC TRIPLE BYPASS IN NOV 89, & WAS TAKING MEDICATION FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE & DIABETES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,619 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,414 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: BCT Boca Raton FL at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from EYW, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N121L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 MIA92LA061.