28 May 20264:41 reconstruction939 views

The Propeller Was Gone Before the Cessna 172 Reached the Runway

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A training flight near Rochester, New York, changed abruptly when a Cessna 172 developed an engine problem and lost its propeller. The instructor and student were still able to bring the aircraft to a precautionary landing at Ledgedale Airpark.

“Both occupants escaped without injury.”

Timeline
1
May 28, 2026 — N225RA was conducting a training flight near Rochester, New York.
2
During the flight — An unusual smell and later vibration were reported as the engine problem developed.
3
During the emergency — The engine suffered a catastrophic failure and the propeller separated.
4
After the failure — The instructor and student landed at Ledgedale Airpark in Brockport.
5
After landing — Both occupants were reported uninjured; the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

A Training Flight Turns Into an Emergency

On May 28, 2026, Rochester Air Center Cessna 172S N225RA was conducting a training flight near Greater Rochester International Airport with an instructor and student aboard. The aircraft later experienced a catastrophic engine failure during maneuvering flight, according to contemporary reporting and the incident account.

AeroTelegraph reported that instructor Scott Murphy noticed an unusual burning smell at about 3,500 feet. The smell was followed by light haze and then increasing vibration. The instructor took control while the situation developed.

The aircraft’s performance deteriorated and the propeller ultimately separated. The original incident account also reports an in-flight fire. Rather than attempting to continue the training flight, the crew treated the situation as an emergency and looked for a suitable landing area.

Ledgedale Becomes the Landing Site

The aircraft was taken to Ledgedale Airpark in Brockport, New York, where the crew completed a precautionary landing. The two occupants survived without injury, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The reports establish the sequence of the emergency, but they do not provide a final authoritative cause for why the engine failed and why the propeller separated. That cause should therefore remain unresolved rather than being inferred from the symptoms.

Incident date
28 May 2026
Registration
N225RA
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Category
Emergency, Fire / Smoke, Engine failure, Student pilot
Reconstruction
4:41

Sources

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.
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