# Accident 19970806028259A: Cessna R172E, Mary Esther, FL, August 6, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 6, 1997, 16:15 local time
- Place: Mary Esther, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4101° N, 86.6609° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4101&lon=-86.6609&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2427, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2427) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna R172E (registry code 2072413, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-360 series (registry code 17025, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA R172E
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 736 total, 461 in this make and model, 401 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA230) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970806028259A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST POWER. DROPPED BANNER. LANDED ON A BEACH. NOSED OVER IN SOFT SAND. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS TOWING A BANNER OVER FT. WALTON BEACH, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. PILOT LANDED ON THE BEACH, HIT A SAND DUNE, AND FLIPPED OVER.   (.19) ON AUGUST 6, 1997, ABOUT 1615 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA R172E, N2427, REGISTERED TO BOOMER AVIATION INC., OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, LOCAL BANNER TOWING FLIGHT, CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR MARY ESTHER, FLORIDA.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.  THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED NAVARRE, FLORIDA, ABOUT 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.                                     THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOST POWER WHILE TOWING A BANNER. THE BANNER WAS JETTISONED AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON THE BEACH. ON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES.  EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL LINES, CARBURETOR, AND FUEL TANKS DID NOT REVEAL ANY FUEL.                                                                                                 THE DAMAGE WAS INITIALLY REPORTED AS MINOR, AND WAS UPGRADED TO SUBSTANTIAL AFTER THE WRECKAGE EXAMINED, ONE WEEK AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA230), Aug 6, 1997: Cessna R172E (N2427), Mary Esther, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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