Accident Cessna 172N Skyhawk N737VC,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 351146
 
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Date:Tuesday 23 January 2024
Time:18:44
Type:Silhouette image of generic C172 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 172N Skyhawk
Owner/operator:Florida General Aviation opb ATA Flight School
Registration: N737VC
MSN: 17269700
Year of manufacture:1977
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Weston, FL -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Hollywood-North Perry Airport, FL (HWO/KHWO)
Destination airport:Naples Airport, FL (APF/KAPF)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
On January 23, 2024, about 1844 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737VC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Weston, Florida. Both commercial pilots were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The airplane was owned and operated by a flight school. The owner of the flight school reported that the two pilots rented the airplane for a cross-country flight from North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida to Naples Municipal Airport (APF), Naples, Florida and would be returning to HWO that same evening.

A preliminary review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed the airplane departed runway 10R at HWO about 1830. The airplane climbed to about 1,850 ft mean sea level (msl) while making a right downwind departure from the airport. After departing controlled airspace, about 5 minutes into the flight, until about 20 seconds before track data was lost, the airplane made multiple altitude fluctuations with a maximum altitude of 1,850 ft msl and a minimum altitude of 1,000 ft msl. Twenty seconds before track data was lost the airplane was on a 353° magnetic heading at 1,300 ft msl and a ground speed of 109 knots, when the airplane subsequently began a descent. At 1844 the last track data point was recorded while the airplane was on a 007° magnetic heading at 450 ft msl and a ground speed of 143 knots.

The airplane came to rest in a swamp/marsh area with a debris path approximately 300 ft long oriented on about a 010° magnetic heading. Wreckage observations included the impact separated nose wheel, the impact-damaged nose landing gear strut, and the left-wing separated from the fuselage. The main wreckage came to rest in about 4 ft of water on a magnetic heading of about 130°. A post-accident fire consumed parts of the fuselage and right wing, while the instrument panel, firewall, and engine were located 25 ft north of the main wreckage. The fuselage was fragmented, with the aft portion mostly intact. Control continuity for the rudder, elevator, and elevator trim was confirmed, and the elevator trim actuator measurements corresponded to a 15° tab up position. The left wing exhibited aft crushing, and the left aileron and flap cables exhibited tensile overload. The right wing remained attached only by the aileron direct control cable, and the flap actuator indicated a flaps UP configuration.

The engine was impact-damaged and the lower right engine mount tubes were separated. Compression, suction, and valvetrain continuity were confirmed on all cylinders when the crankshaft was rotated. All leads from both magnetos sparked when the magnetos were rotated, and all spark plugs exhibited severe wear. The oil filter was removed, cut open, and exhibited no debris in the filter pleats. The propeller, remained attached, had both blades bent aft, and contained chordwise scratching. Both wing fuel tanks were breached, the fuel selector valve was not recovered, and organic debris was observed in the fuel strainer and carburetor screens.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: 
Status: Preliminary report
Duration:
Download report: Preliminary report

Sources:

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2024/01/24/broward-rescue-crews-locate-plane-crash-near-alligator-alley/
https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/2-dead-after-plane-crashes-in-west-broward/
https://eu.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/florida/2024/01/24/florida-everglades-plane-crash-deaths/72338575007/

NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N737VC
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n737vc#33ba4dad

Location

Images:


Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Jan-2024 18:36 Captain Adam Added
24-Jan-2024 19:52 icedragon8807 Updated [Time, Registration, Cn]
24-Jan-2024 19:56 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Photo]
24-Jan-2024 20:07 harro Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Narrative]
24-Jan-2024 21:20 RobertMB Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
26-Jan-2024 19:47 Captain Adam Updated [Location, Narrative]
26-Jan-2024 23:13 RobertMB Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
27-Jan-2024 11:14 Captain Adam Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
07-Feb-2024 20:33 Captain Adam Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report]

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