What happened
The flight was conducted as a training session with a specific focus on power reduction techniques. The instructor pilot outlined that the lesson would cover slow flight, power-off stalls, and operations at minimum controllable airspeed. Approximately thirty minutes into the sortie, the crew initiated power application for recovery from one of these maneuvers.
At this critical moment, the engine began to lose power and exhibited wide fluctuations in revolutions per minute (RPM). The pilot attempted remedial actions to restore normal operation, but these efforts proved fruitless. The engine continued to alternate between full power output and windmilling conditions. With no ability to maintain flight or return to the departure airport, the crew was forced to execute an emergency landing in a nearby cornfield.
Findings
Investigations into the environmental conditions at the time of the accident revealed factors conducive to engine failure. Reports from the National Weather Service for the specific area indicated high humidity and low temperatures. These atmospheric conditions created a favorable environment for carburetor icing, which likely caused the intermittent power loss and subsequent inability to control the aircraft during the critical phase of flight.