Accident Overview
On November 17, 2025, about 1900 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, registration N6124D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Bay, Florida. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported that the flight departed with full fuel tanks and initially flew to Okeechobee County Airport (OBE) in Okeechobee, Florida, where he performed one touch-and-go landing. After departing to the north, he switched the fuel selector to the right tank for between 5 and 15 minutes to balance fuel consumption, then returned the selector to both. While flying at about 2,800 ft mean sea level (msl), he initiated a practice emergency descent. Before the maneuver, he applied carburetor heat, reduced the throttle to idle, and banked 45° to the left while descending at 120 knots.
Upon reaching 1,500 ft msl, he added full power, but the engine rpm only increased from 800 to 1,100, and he heard the engine sputtering. The pilot pitched the airplane for an airspeed of 65 knots, verified that the mixture was full rich and carburetor heat was on. He checked the magnetos and attempted an engine restart, but was unsuccessful.
Forced Landing and Impact
The pilot executed a forced landing to a road. After touchdown, he maneuvered the airplane to the right to avoid a car. During the landing roll, the right wing collided with a traffic sign. The airplane veered right and came to rest in a ditch with the fuselage elevated to a nearly vertical position. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.
Examination
The wreckage was retained for examination to be performed following recovery.