N2344UCessna 172D · 1962

On December 4, 2011, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172D, N2344U, registered to a private owner, made a forced landing in a neighbor's backyard following loss of engine power, near Belhaven, North Carolina. The airplane was registered to a private owner, and operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from a private airfield at 1530.

The pilot stated he was maneuvering his airplane over a marsh area at 700 feet above ground level in a left turn when the engine experienced a total loss of power. He continued the left turn and made a forced landing. The airplane struck a small tree, separated the nose landing gear, and came to rest 180 degrees from the initial point of impact.

Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed the annual inspection was overdue by 3 months. In addition the pilot's flight review was overdue by 4 months.

There was no visible damage to the propeller assembly. The crankshaft was rotated through on all cylinders, no internal binding was noted, and the engine appeared to have compression. The carburetor flange was broken and the venturi was in place with no restrictions. The throttle linkage was in place and the magneto switch appeared to be functional. No anomalies were noted with the magnetos and ignition harness. The fuel selector valve was in the both position and fuel was present in both fuel tanks and the gascolator. No water was present in either fuel tank or the gascolator.

Review of a carburetor icing chart for an ambient temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit and dewpond temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit, revealed that the airplane would only be in a serious icing conditions in glide power.