Accident Details
On October 23, 2021, at approximately 1334 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, registration N1188L, was substantially damaged during an accident near Francis S Gabreski Airport (FOK) in Westhampton Beach, New York. The private pilot was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that while the airplane was at an altitude of 3,000 feet mean sea level, he heard a "pop." Subsequently, the engine lost all power, though the propeller continued to windmill. The pilot diverted toward FOK, approximately 5 miles west of the airplane's position, and attempted to restart the engine without success. During the glide approach, the airplane impacted trees before reaching runway 24 and came to rest upright against the airport perimeter fence.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident inspection revealed substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. Examination of the engine showed that the top spark plugs had intact electrodes with a light gray coloration. Rotating the propeller by hand confirmed continuity of the crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train to the rear accessory section. Thumb compression was attained on all cylinders, and borescope inspection of each cylinder revealed no anomalies. Both magnetos produced spark at all leads when rotated manually. Additionally, approximately 35 gallons of fuel were drained after the accident, and fuel was present throughout the fuel system. The examination identified no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal engine operation.