Cessna 172I accident near Navarre, Florida, September 7, 1992
On September 7, 1992 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N35302, was substantially damaged in an accident near Navarre, Florida (Ft. Walton Beach airport). It was an instructional 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DIVERTION OF ATTENTION OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO THE AIRPLANE ON THE APCH END OF THE RWY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1992 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Navarre, Florida · Ft. Walton Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N35302 · registry record · serial 17256701
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT WITH THE STUDENT PLT FLYING THE ACFT, THE ENG EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT & WAS ADVISED BY ATC THAT A GRASS AIRSTRIP WAS BELOW. THE FLT CIRCLED WHILE DESCENDING & THE CFI ASKED ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY IF ANYONE WAS MONITORING IT BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY. WHILE CIRCLING HE OBSERVED AN ACFT TAKE OFF TO THE SOUTH & ELECTED TO LAND IN THAT DIRECTION. WHILE ON A MODIFIED FINAL APCH, HE OBSERVED AN ACFT ON THE APCH END OF THE RWY. AFTER LANDING APRX 1/2 WAY DOWN THE 2,300 FT GRASS/SAND RWY, THE ACFT TRAVELLED OFF THE RT SIDE & COLLIDED WITH A TREE. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE NO. 2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED NEAR THE RADIUS OF THE SEAT. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE ENG HAD ACCUMULATED 1,840 HRS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 515 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 427 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,088 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 14, 1992; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Final Approach, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 81J Destin FL at 2:14 pm
- Destination: BTR Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 2,300 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 pm from PNS, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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 N35302 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.