What happened
On March 1, 2025, at approximately 11:38 EST, a Cessna 172S, registration N923EP, was involved in an accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The aircraft was being operated by EPIC AVIATION INC for a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. This flight marked the student pilot's first flight in an airplane.
Prior to departing New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (EVB), the left fuel tank had been filled, leaving a total of 51.6 gallons of fuel on board. The flight instructor reported that no issues were identified during the preflight inspection or the engine run-up. Following a departure briefing and a brief hold short of the runway, the aircraft was cleared for takeoff.
During the takeoff roll, with the mixture set to full rich and full throttle applied, the engine RPM exceeded 2,300 and reached 2,400 once airborne. However, when the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 180 feet, the engine RPM dropped and the engine suffered a complete loss of power.
The flight instructor assumed control, shut off all fuel-related components, and pitched the nose down to maintain airspeed. After declaring a mayday to the air traffic control tower, the instructor landed at the beginning of the runway 2 threshold. The aircraft rolled onto the grass, where the instructor attempted to avoid excessive braking to prevent a nose-over. While maneuvering toward a fence to avoid vehicles on an off-airport road, the aircraft struck the fence and nosed over. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured.
Data from the onboard avionics indicated that takeoff power was applied at 11:37:41. The engine RPM remained above 2,400 until 11:38:04, at which point both RPM and fuel flow began to decline until the engine reached 0 RPM.