Accident Summary
On April 11, 2023, at about 1711 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, registration N2554L, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Charles Town, West Virginia. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, the flight departed from Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport/Shepherd Field (MRB) in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and proceeded to Winchester Regional Airport (OKV) in Winchester, Virginia. On the return leg to MRB at 2,000 ft mean sea level, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot described the engine as “sputtering in and out.” The mixture control was in the full rich position, and carburetor heat was applied, but full engine power was not restored. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Weather and Fuel
At 1653, weather reported at MRB, located about 11 miles northwest of the accident site, included a temperature of 23°C and a dew point of -5°C. The calculated relative humidity was less than 20%. Review of the icing probability chart from Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 indicated that atmospheric conditions at the time were not conducive to carburetor icing.
During recovery of the airplane, 5 gallons of fuel were noted in the right fuel tank and 10 gallons in the left fuel tank.
Engine Examination
An examination of the airplane found that fuel was plumbed into both wing tanks and flowed to the carburetor without any anomalies. The engine remained attached to the fuselage through its mounts. Crankshaft and valvetrain continuity was confirmed by manually rotating the propeller through 720 degrees of rotation. Compression was verified on all cylinders, and the magnetos produced spark on all leads. The carburetor exhibited no anomalies, and the oil filter was not obstructed. The examination revealed no anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.