Accident Description
On July 14, 2009, at 1745 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S, registration N2446F, operated by Sky Mays Flight Academy, experienced a total loss of engine power and executed a forced landing to a pasture near Boyd, Texas. The flight was an instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained structural damage, and the student pilot reported minor injuries. The flight originated from Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (FTW) at 1732.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported conducting a preflight inspection, starting the engine, and completing all required checklist items. During the engine run-up, the mixture was leaned and no anomalies were noted. After departure, while climbing to 2,000 feet mean sea level, the engine began running rough and popping. The engine RPM dropped from 2,200 to 2,000 without any throttle movement. The pilot believed the mixture was not set for maximum power and used the engine lean assist, leaning to peak temperature on cylinder 1 or 4, then enriching by 30 degrees. At that point, the roughness and popping increased, and RPM decreased rapidly. The pilot recognized the situation as an engine failure.
Examination Findings
An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the crash site. The landing gear tracks began 800 feet east of the airplane's final resting place. The aircraft traveled through 600 feet of pasture before striking a fence, becoming airborne, crossing a gully and a tree line, and ultimately impacting a berm on the opposite side of a pond after the right horizontal stabilizer struck a tree. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no anomalies.