What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 24, 2025, a Cessna 172N aircraft was lost from radar contact with Lakefront tower in the vicinity of New Orleans, Louisiana, approximately four nautical miles north of Lakefront Airport, while conducting a practice instrument approach. The flight was conducted as an IFR training operation under part 61. There were two occupants onboard.
Weather conditions reported within the hour prior to the accident indicated visibility of 10 statute miles with clear conditions. Pilot reports in the area indicated broken cloud layers at approximately 800 feet AGL.
The flight departed gulfport airport at approximately 1745 local time with the stated intent to conduct a practice approach at Lakefront Airport and subsequently return to gulfport. Radar and communication contact with air traffic control was lost at approximately 1823 local time. The circumstances of the accident have not yet been determined.
Search and rescue operations were initiated at approximately 1830 local time. A helicopter search was conducted beginning at approximately 1900 local time and continued until approximately 0230 local time the following morning. During the search, floating debris consistent with aircraft interior components was recovered from the water. Sonar imagery identified an object approximately 15–20 feet underwater, located approximately one-half nautical mile southeast of the last recorded radar position.
At the time of this report, aircraft wreckage has been located. Partial human remains have been recovered and have been positively identified as a female certificated flight instructor—instrument (CFII). The second occupant has been located as well.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 24, 2025, A CESSNA 172N AIRCRAFT WAS LOST FROM RADAR CONTACT WITH LAKEFRONT TOWER IN THE VICINITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, APPROXIMATELY FOUR NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF LAKEFRONT AIRPORT, WHILE CONDUCTING A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AS AN IFR TRAINING OPERATION UNDER PART 61. THERE WERE TWO OCCUPANTS ONBOARD.
WEATHER CONDITIONS REPORTED WITHIN THE HOUR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT INDICATED VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUTE MILES WITH CLEAR CONDITIONS. PILOT REPORTS IN THE AREA INDICATED BROKEN CLOUD LAYERS AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET AGL.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED GULFPORT AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1745 LOCAL TIME WITH THE STATED INTENT TO CONDUCT A PRACTICE APPROACH AT LAKEFRONT AIRPORT AND SUBSEQUENTLY RETURN TO GULFPORT. RADAR AND COMMUNICATION CONTACT WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL WAS LOST AT APPROXIMATELY 1823 LOCAL TIME. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.
SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS WERE INITIATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 LOCAL TIME. A HELICOPTER SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 LOCAL TIME AND CONTINUED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 0230 LOCAL TIME THE FOLLOWING MORNING. DURING THE SEARCH, FLOATING DEBRIS CONSISTENT WITH AIRCRAFT INTERIOR COMPONENTS WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER. SONAR IMAGERY IDENTIFIED AN OBJECT APPROXIMATELY 15–20 FEET UNDERWATER, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF NAUTICAL MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE LAST RECORDED RADAR POSITION.
AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT, AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE HAS BEEN LOCATED. PARTIAL HUMAN REMAINS HAVE BEEN RECOVERED AND HAVE BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS A FEMALE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR—INSTRUMENT (CFII). THE SECOND OCCUPANT HAS BEEN LOCATED AS WELL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.