# NTSB ERA26LA167: Cessna 172S, N529ND, Marathon, FL, April 11, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: April 11, 2026, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Marathon, FL - Coordinates: 24.775742, -80.934214 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.7757&lon=-80.9342&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining events: [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250); [Enroute-descent: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 8 uninjured - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202815 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA167 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202815/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA167 ## Preliminary report (aircraft 1) On April 11, 2026, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S airplane, N529ND sustained substantial damage and a Raytheon Aircraft Company B200 (King Air) airplane, N699BW sustained minor damage when they collided in flight near Marathon, Florida. The 2 pilots aboard the Cessna and the 2 pilots and 4 passengers aboard the King Air were not injured. The Cessna was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight, and the King Air was being operated as Title 14 CFR Part 91 business flight. Preliminary air traffic control communications and ADS-B data provided by the FAA showed that the King Air departed Marsh Harbour (MHH), Bahamas to the southwest inbound to the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport (MTH), Marathon, Florida. About 20 nautical miles northeast of MTH, the pilot requested to cancel their instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan to MTH. The IFR cancellation was received, and a frequency change was approved. Air traffic control informed the King Air pilots that there was traffic flying in the opposite direction at 15 miles and 5,500 ft “following the keychain.” The King Air pilots subsequently reset their transponder code from a discrete code to 1200 (the standard transponder code used by airplanes operating under visual flight rules [VFR]) as they were descending out of about 11,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The Cessna pilots reported that they were northeast bound at 5,500 ft msl, about 10 miles northwest of MTH, operating VFR with flight following. Air traffic control notified them of unknown traffic ahead at 12 o’clock and 1 mile descending out of 6,200 ft msl. Immediately after the traffic advisory, the Cessna pilot reported that “we had a midair collision,” declared an emergency, and returned to MTH for landing. The Cessna pilots stated that they had briefly observed the King Air immediately before the collision but were unable to take evasive action. The pilot advised the controller of left wing damage and control difficulties and requested emergency services upon landing. The pilot in command (PIC) of the King Air reported he was looking out the window, scanning for the traffic, when he observed the Cessna immediately before impact. He attempted evasive action; however, the left engine, wing and propeller impacted the left wing of the Cessna, which resulted in substantial damage to the Cessna’s wing and aileron. The outboard 36 inches of the Cessna’s left wing was sheared off and crumpled, with the aileron remaining partially attached, and bent aft. The King Air sustained minor damage to the left propeller, engine intake and the leading edge of the left wing. Both airplanes landed safely at MTH and were retained for further examination following the collision. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md) - [Enroute-descent: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Raytheon B200, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=7150006), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md) ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N529ND](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N529ND), registered now, S/N 172S10981, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S10981 - Year built: 2009 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Phoenix East Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Phoenix East Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: EYM, Key West, FL - Destination: HWO, Hollywood, FL - Airport: MTH, The Florida Keys Marathon Intl ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N699BW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N699BW), registered now, S/N BB-1658, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY B200 - Registry model: [Raytheon B200](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-b200) (registry code 7150006) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: BB-1658 - Year built: 1999 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Beech Transport LLC - Registered owner: Beech Transport LLC - Departed: MHH, Marsh Harbour, OF - Destination: MTH, Marathon, FL ## 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 20260411004122A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260411004122A), Apr 11, 2026: Cessna 172S, Marathon, FL, Substantial damage. On April 11, 2026, Cessna C172, registration [privacy data omitted] with a private pilot and CFI departed ket west international airport (eym) conducting 14… 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.