N7414NCessna 172E · 1964

On February 10, 2019, at 1607 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N7414N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lignum, Virginia. The flight instructor and front seat student pilot were not injured, and the rear seat student pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

According to the instructor, the flight departed about 1541 with 15 gallons of fuel in each wing tank (30 total gallons). About 30 minutes after takeoff, after performing clearing turns, steep turns, and slow flight, the instructor set up and performed a power-off stall, after which, just as the throttle was moved to the full power position, the engine failed to respond. The instructor confirmed via the tachometer that the engine was not producing power and took control of the airplane. The propeller initially windmilled and then came to a stop. She selected a field for landing and performed the engine failure checklist. She attempted to restart the engine twice but was unsuccessful. As she approached the field for landing, she determined that it would not be suitable due to standing water in the field and instead chose to land on a rural highway. Shortly after landing, the right wing impacted a telephone pole, the airplane turned 90° to the right, and the left wingtip impacted the ground.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that all major components of the airplane were present at the accident site. The right wing was bent upward outboard of the wing strut, with leading edge damage forward of the aileron. The left wing was substantially damaged and bent upward outboard of the aileron. The fuselage was buckled on the right side at the right-wing root area. Fuel with a blue tint was present in both the left and right fuel tanks and the gascolator. The throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat controls were intact and continuous from the cockpit controls to the engine. Fluid could be heard flowing as the throttle was moved forward, consistent with the accelerator pump operating. The primer operated normally with no leaks observed. The carburetor heat actuator and door moved freely, and all ductwork from the exhaust to the carburetor was intact. The following day the FAA inspector successfully started and operated the engine, which remained installed in the airplane with the complete fuel system (and remaining fuel) still intact. He operated the engine through the normal runup procedure and up to full power, with no anomalies noted.

A review of weather observations from a nearby airport, carburetor icing charts, and a High-Resolution Rapid Refresh numerical model of weather conditions revealed a low probability of carburetor icing at the surface and at an altitude of 3,000 ft msl.