On May 21, 1993, a Ryan NAVION (registration N4467K) operated by Robert G. Giacobone was involved in an aviation accident near Cumberland, RI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine quit during cruise flight for an undetermined reason, although a usable amount of fuel was found and no mechanical malfunctions were reported. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Cessna 172 experienced an unexplained engine failure during cruise flight, leading to a forced landing in a short field where the nose gear collapsed upon impact with rough terrain.
What happened
The pilot reported that during cruise flight, the engine quit without warning. The airplane was force landed in a short field. During landing rollout, the airplane collided with rough and uneven terrain, resulting in a collapsed nose gear. A usable amount of fuel was found in the airplane. The engine was successfully test run after the accident. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed that the engine was successfully test run after the accident. A usable amount of fuel was found in the airplane. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Probable cause
The engine quit during cruise flight for an undetermined reason, although a usable amount of fuel was found and no mechanical malfunctions were reported.