What happened
On July 2, 2024, at approximately 12:00 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, registration N74C, was involved in an accident near San Diego, California. The flight was being operated under Part 91 regulations for personal use.
After completing the preflight inspection and engine run-up at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF), the pilot departed runway 28R, intending to exit the area via the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern. While performing a right turn from the crosswind leg to the downwind leg at approximately 1,000 feet above ground level, the pilot heard a loud pop and observed brown smoke coming from the engine compartment. The aircraft began vibrating, and the engine subsequently lost power.
Following several attempts to reach the tower controller, the pilot declared an emergency. The controller cleared the aircraft to land on runway 10L. The pilot executed the engine failure checklist and landed on the runway, but the aircraft overran the departure end of the runway and nosed over. The pilot sustained 1 minor injury, and there were 0 fatalities.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the engine mount and both wings.