5 Aug 20254:39 reconstruction2K views

Cessna 172 Suffers Engine Power Loss and Lands on Everglades Road

Timeline

5 August 2025, about 08:20 local — N1213F operated a Part 91 instructional flight from Pembroke Pines.

About 20 minutes into the flight — After maneuvers at about 1,800 feet MSL, the engine developed severe vibration.

The student transferred control to the instructor.

During attempts to correct the engine problem — The instructor felt an impact at the engine firewall and the engine lost power.

The instructor declared an emergency and performed a forced landing to a dirt road.

Landing roll — The aircraft left the road and came to rest in marsh terrain; both occupants were uninjured.

The engine began vibrating before losing power

A Cessna 172N conducting an instructional flight near Pembroke Pines, Florida, developed a severe engine vibration about twenty minutes after departure. The flight instructor took control after the student pilot encountered the abnormality. The instructor later reported that something struck the engine firewall, followed by a complete loss of engine power. The aircraft was forced onto a dirt road and came to rest in a marsh after leaving the road. Neither occupant was injured.

The engine problem developed during training

The flight was being conducted for private-pilot maneuvers. The airplane had departed with 43 gallons of fuel and was operating in visual conditions. The abnormal vibration appeared during the maneuvering portion of the flight, well before the aircraft reached the airport environment.

The instructor took control and made the emergency landing

Once the engine problem became severe, the instructor took control and declared an emergency. The aircraft could no longer remain airborne normally and was landed on a dirt road. The airplane then left the road and came to rest in marsh terrain.

The NTSB has not finished the technical examination

The preliminary report states that the engine crankcase was breached and that the airplane was retained for further examination. Because the report is preliminary, no final mechanical cause should be assigned. The exact component failure remains a question for the continuing investigation.

The preliminary report records that: “the engine lost power completely”

Accident Facts

Aircraft: N1213F
Date: 5 August 2025
Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida
Category: Preliminary NTSB report

Sources

NTSB preliminary report ERA25LA288: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200710/pdf
Miami Herald contemporary report: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article311590144.html

Audio from the original air traffic control recording, sourced from public recordings and released investigation records. The reconstruction, animation and written account are our own.