# NTSB ERA25LA216: Cessna 172F, N5200F, Vero Beach, FL, June 2, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 1, 2025, 20:24 local (Jun 2, 2025, 00:24 UTC) - Place: Vero Beach, FL · 3NM off shore from Vero Beach FL. - Coordinates: 27.655198, -80.318255 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.6552&lon=-80.3183&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-IFR initial approach: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor - Status: Completed, report November 14, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 200259 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA216 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200259/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200259 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA216 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172F, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072414), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-IFR initial approach: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072414), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Cessna 172F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=2072414), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and two passengers were on a multi-leg cross-country flight under instrument flight rules. After refueling the airplane fully, they departed on the accident flight and flew to an intermediate airport where the pilot performed a practice instrument approach. After landing the airplane and departing again, they flew toward the destination airport, where the pilot planned to perform another practice instrument approach. About 1-mile from the final approach fix, and while flying over the ocean, the airplane’s engine suddenly lost power. The pilot had his passenger inform air traffic control of the emergency before ditching the airplane into the water about 5 miles offshore. All three occupants incurred minor injuries and were rescued after the accident. The airplane was not recovered and presumed substantially damaged. Review of ADS-B data for the flight revealed that the airplane had been aloft for less than 2.5 hours since last being fueled to its full capacity of 38 gallons. According to the airplane’s Pilot Operating Handbook, at cruise power settings the airplane’s estimated consumption ranged from 8.0 to 9.0 gallons per hour. Accounting for fuel consumed during taxi, takeoff, climb, and descent, the total fuel consumption for the flight was estimated to be between 20 and 23 gallons. This suggests that about 15 to 18 gallons of usable fuel remained at the time of the accident. The weather conditions reported at the destination airport included a calculated relative humidity of 40% percent. Review of the icing probability chart contained within Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. Because the airplane was not recovered, and the wreckage could not be examined, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5200F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5200F-2026-03-16), registration cancelled 2026-03-16, S/N 17253182, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172F - Registry model: [Cessna 172F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (registry code 2072414) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17253182 - Year built: 1965 - Airframe hours: 8629 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 19, 2024, 47 hours before - Departed: FPR, Fort Pierce, FL - Destination: VRB, Vero Beach, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: VRB, Vero Beach - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review May 29, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,929 total, 50 in this make and model, 1,035 as pilot in command, 162 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Pilot-rated passenger; age 26; injuries: none; private, foreign; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 149 total, 65 in this make and model, 37 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 290° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: VRB, 5 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250601006239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250601006239A), Jun 1, 2025: Cessna 172, Vero Beach, FL, Destroyed. [privacy data omitted], A Cessna 172F, departed from kjax (jacksonville international airport) en route to kvrb (Vero Beach Regional) with a practice approach… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200259. 14.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19024727&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20New%20LA126_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot interview summary (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19011080&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Pilot%20summary%20LA216-Rel.pdf - Maintenance record excerpt (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 7.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19004166&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MX%20Excerpts%20LA216_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Fuel invoice (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 226 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18995270&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Invoice%20JAX-Fuel_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot operating handbook excerpt (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18994669&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=172%20POH%20fuel%20excerpts-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing chart (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 158 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19001835&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Icing%20Chart%20LA216-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - ADS-B data review (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 334 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19521467&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ADSB%20data%20review%20LA216-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.