# NTSB ERA26LA342: Cessna 172N, N734NM, Panama City, FL, September 7, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: September 7, 2026, 10:59 local (15:59 UTC)
- Place: Panama City, FL
- Coordinates: 30.373897, -85.803745 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3739&lon=-85.8037&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203839
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA342
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203839/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA342

## Preliminary report

On September 7, 2026, about 1059 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N airplane, N734NM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Panama City, Florida. The student pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that this was his second flight of the day in the accident airplane, and that there were no abnormalities experienced during the first flight. Prior to the accident flight, a preflight inspection and engine run-up were completed with no indication of any abnormalities. A normal takeoff was accomplished with the airplane accelerating normally to rotation speed. During initial climb, about 300 ft above ground level, both pilots observed a loss of engine power, despite the throttle and mixture controls being in the full forward position. The flight instructor continued that there was no smoke, vibration, or “catastrophic engine noise” coincident with the loss of power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and executed an emergency forced landing, straight ahead, onto airport property. During the forced landing, the airplane’s right wing struck a runway approach light which resulted in substantial damage. The airplane was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N734NM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N734NM), registered now, S/N 17268984 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17268984
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Tin Cup Investments Inc
- Registered owner: Tin Cup Investments Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Airport: ECP, Northwest Florida Beaches Intl, runway 34, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: ECP, 2 nm away
- METAR: METAR KECP 071553Z 28003KT 10SM FEW031 31/24 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP155 T03110239

## 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 20260907012869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260907012869A), Sep 7, 2026: Cessna 172N, Panama City, FL, Substantial damage. Panama City, FL (ecp): [privacy data omitted], C172, experienced an engine issue after departing runway 34. Aircraft landed off runway on airport property and…

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.

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