# NTSB investigations: Cessna 172S: Loss of engine power (total)

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA014.md): Cessna 172 · North Lauderdale, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 13, 2025 · N1206U · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to a fuel delivery system leak, which allowed air to enter the fuel system. The source of the leak could not be determined based on the available evidence.
- [NTSB ERA25LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA281.md): Cessna 172S · Kissimmee, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Jul 30, 2025 · N121CW · Substantial damage
  > On July 30, 2025, at 11:28 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N121CW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida. The private pilot and flight instructor were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14…
- [NTSB ERA22LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA029.md): Cessna 172 · Westhampton Beach, NY · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 23, 2021 · N1188L · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
- [NTSB ERA21LA388](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA388.md): Cessna 172 · Port Orange, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 29, 2021 · N116SV · Substantial damage
  > The separation of the nut from the stud and the fracture of the bolt that secured the crankshaft idler gear to the engine crankcase, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to the inability of the left crankshaft idler gear assembly to drive of the…
- [NTSB CEN21LA414](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA414.md): Cessna 172S · LaSalle, CO · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 10, 2021 · N2099J · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB WPR21LA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA303.md): Cessna 172S · Yelm, WA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 11, 2021 · N513WF · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
- [NTSB ERA21LA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA187.md): Cessna 172S · Venice, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 17, 2021 · N60457 · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
- [NTSB WPR21LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA140.md): Cessna 172S · Everett, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 23, 2021 · N2164Z · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during climb, for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
- [NTSB GAA20CA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA089.md): Cessna 172 · DuBois, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 17, 2019 · N683SP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power, and his subsequent improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper preflight…
- [NTSB WPR18LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA181.md): Cessna 172S · Phoenix, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 26, 2018 · N154ME · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to crankshaft failure as the result of a subsurface fatigue crack.
- [NTSB CEN17LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA311.md): Cessna 172S · Wellston, OH · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 9, 2017 · N5274Q · Substantial damage
  > The failure of a connecting rod small end bushing, which resulted in a loss of engine power.
- [NTSB WPR17LA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA176.md): Cessna 172S · Seattle, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 31, 2017 · N957TA · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to oil starvation as a result of the loose right magneto, which allowed oil to escape and the engine to seize. Contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance, which failed to identify the loose magneto bolt.
- [NTSB ERA13LA291](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA291.md): Cessna 172S · Clearwater, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 19, 2013 · N426SJ · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because neither postaccident visual examinations nor test runs of the engine revealed any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB ERA12LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA274.md): Cessna 172S · Daytona Beach, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 9, 2012 · N375LP · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to a catastrophic engine failure, the origin of which could not be determined during postaccident examination.
- [NTSB WPR11LA362](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA362.md): Cessna 172S · Syracuse, UT · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 2, 2011 · N235GW · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the maintenance technicians who installed the engine to properly tighten the fuel injection servo to a spider supply line, which caused a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB WPR11LA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA284.md): Cessna 172S · Palo Alto, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 24, 2011 · N222MF · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during the landing approach over unsuitable terrain.
- [NTSB ERA11LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA015.md): Cessna 172SP · Boynton Beach, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2010 · N423FT · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB CEN09LA442](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA442.md): Cessna 172S · Boyd, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 14, 2009 · N2446F · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper leaning procedures, resulting in a forced landing and collision with a fence.
- [NTSB WPR09LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA098.md): Cessna 172S · Oceanside, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 24, 2009 · N562AD · Substantial damage
  > A defective alternator wire splice that resulted in an intermittent electrical system malfunction and erroneous fuel gauge readings, and, a loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2072439', '2072442')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '341' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence?model=2072439

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