Cessna 172N incident near Opa-Locka, Florida, February 4, 1994
On February 4, 1994 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N9003E, suffered minor damage in an incident near Opa-Locka, Florida. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION AND LUBRICATION OF THE FLAP ROLLERS WHICH RESULTED IN THE LEFT FLAP INBOARD ROLLER BECOMING JAMMED IN THE TRACK DURING FLAP RETRACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1994 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9003E · registry record · serial 17272215
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was being rented by the FAA and operated by two aviation operations inspectors. After the pilot-in-command performed a simulated forced landing using flaps he was instructed to go around at about 400 feet. During climbout after flap retraction the left flap was observed to be bent and extended about 30 degrees at the inboard end and 10 degrees at the outboard end. The right flap was fully retracted and the flap lever was in the flaps retracted position. The flight returned to the airport for an uneventful landing. During taxi from landing it was found that the left aileron was binding on the bent left flap. During postflight examination of the left flap it was determined the inboard roller was jammed in the track. When pressure was applied to the flap the roller became free and the flap retracted rapidly. After removal of the inboard roller it was found to contain very little lubrication and to have rust on the roller surface. The Cessna Aircraft Company maintenance manual for the 172N requires inspection and lubrication of the flap rollers and tracks each 100 flight hours.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 6,200 as pilot in command; 4,250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,332 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 pm from OPF, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA94GA099.