Accident Overview
On April 29, 2024, at approximately 0027 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M airplane, registration N12805, sustained substantial damage when it struck a building and the ground near Clearbrook, Minnesota. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
The pilot departed Stanley Municipal Airport (08D), Stanley, North Dakota, at about 2132 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to return to Bemidji Regional Airport (BJI), Bemidji, Minnesota. Air traffic control cleared the pilot for the GPS 13 approach to BJI. Shortly after the clearance, the engine rpm decreased abruptly, as if the ignition had been shut off. The pilot applied carburetor heat, but the engine did not respond. He then enrichened the fuel mixture and advanced the throttle, but the engine still showed no change in operation.
While in night instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot chose to focus on flying the airplane. During the descent, he turned toward the town of Clearbrook but later reported no memory of events after that point.
Security video footage captured the airplane touching down on the roof of a one-story building, then impacting a retaining wall and the ground. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the engine mounts and forward fuselage.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. According to a representative of the aircraft owner, the airplane initially departed BJI with full fuel tanks, and the pilot added 16 gallons of fuel at 08D before the accident flight.
At the time of the accident, the temperature was about 37°F and the dew point was about 35°F. According to the carburetor icing probability graph in Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, conditions were conducive for serious icing at cruise power.