Accident Overview
On December 4, 2011, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172D, registration N2344U, made a forced landing in a neighbor's backyard after a loss of engine power. The aircraft was registered to a private owner and operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from a private airfield at 1530. The certificated private pilot reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Flight and Forced Landing
The pilot stated that he was maneuvering the 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 executed a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane struck a small tree, which separated the nose landing gear, and came to rest 180 degrees from the initial point of impact. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Examination and Findings
Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed that the annual inspection was overdue by 3 months, and the pilot's flight review was overdue by 4 months. No visible damage to the propeller assembly was noted. The crankshaft was rotated through on all cylinders, no internal binding was observed, 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 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.
Carburetor Icing Consideration
Review of a carburetor icing chart for an ambient temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit and dew point temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit revealed that the airplane would only be in serious icing conditions in glide power.