NTSB Factual Report

On March 6, 2005, at 1500 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172B, N8211X, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Princeton, Kentucky, following a loss of engine power. The certificated commercial pilot/owner sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed the Cornelia Fort Airport (M88), Nashville, Tennessee, about 1400. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and destined for Creve Coeur Airport (1H0), Saint Louis, Missouri.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated the purpose of the flight was to drop off a friend in Nashville, and then return to St. Louis. After landing and deplaning his friend, the pilot filled the tanks with 100LL aviation gasoline, then departed for the Creve Coeur Airport.

About 1 hour after departure, in cruise flight about 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot experienced a sudden loss of engine rpm. The engine stopped producing power, but the propeller continued to windmill.

During the descent, the pilot applied carburetor heat, switched magnetos, switched fuel tanks, and adjusted the mixture and the throttle in an attempt to restart the engine. The engine failed to restart, and at 1,000 feet in the descent, the pilot abandoned attempts to restart the engine, and began a search for a suitable forced landing area.

The pilot selected a field, and maneuvered towards it. At the approach end of the field, the airplane struck an embankment with the nose landing gear, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.

The airplane was recovered to an auto wrecking-service yard, and was examined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspectors on March 8, 2005.

Examination revealed that the nose gear had separated from the airframe and that the carburetor was impact damaged and partially separated from the engine.

The propeller was rotated by hand, and continuity was established through the powertrain and the valvetrain to the accessory section. Compression was confirmed on all cylinders using the "thumb" method. Both magnetos produced spark at all but one spark plug, where the terminal wire was severed by impact. Spark was observed at the cut terminal end.

The carburetor was damaged, but still connected by control cables. When the throttle was actuated in the cockpit, fuel sprayed in the carburetor.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He was issued an FAA third class medical certificate in December 2003. The pilot reported 1,406 total hours of flight experience, approximately 80 hours of which were in make and model.

The airplane was a 1961 Cessna 172B. It was purchased by the pilot/owner in January 2005. The airplane had accumulated 1,641 total hours of flight time, approximately 25 hours of which were flown by the pilot/owner. Prior to purchase, an annual inspection was completed, and all of the airworthiness directives for the airplane were checked for compliance. The pilot added, "The airplane was running great."

In a subsequent interview, the pilot stated that the aircraft recovery personnel who purchased the wreckage from him ran the engine on the airplane using the airplane's own fuel system.

At 1455, the weather at Campbell Army Airfield, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, included winds from 220 at 10 knots, with 7 miles of visibility. The temperature was 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and the dewpoint was 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Interpolation of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to "serious icing at glide power."

NTSB Probable Cause

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons over unsuitable terrain.