Cessna 172P accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, January 19, 1997
On January 19, 1997 at about 3:42 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N136FR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of other maintenance personnel to properly torque a connecting rod bolt and nut for the No. 3 cylinder during engine overhaul.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1997 · about 3:42 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N136FR · no longer on the register · serial 17276512
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost partial power and engine oil leaked out, covering the windshield. About 3 miles from the airport the engine quit completely. While making a forced landing downwind, the aircraft overran the runway, collided with 2 fences, and nosed over. Postcrash examination of the engine showed the No. 3 connecting rod had disconnected from the crankshaft. One of the No. 3 connecting rod nuts was found in the oil pan with no thread damage and the threaded portion of the respective rod bolt for this nut was found protruding through the engine case with no thread damage. All other engine damage was consistent with secondary damage following connecting rod separation. The engine had accumulated 47 flight hours since major overhaul, at which time the connecting rod bolts were replaced.
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: 372 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,799 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1996; 164 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Hollywood FL at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:40 pm from FXE, 1 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.
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.