What happened
On August 1, 2025, at approximately 0802 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, registration N62296, experienced a sudden loss of engine power during the initial climb from runway 36 at Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE) in Gainesville, Texas. The flight was being conducted as a Part 91 instructional flight.
The flight instructor reported that the power loss occurred at an altitude of approximately 250 to 300 feet above ground level. Following the loss of power, the engine tachometer indicated approximately 2,000 rpm. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft after determining that returning to the airport was not possible due to the low altitude.
The pilot receiving instruction attempted to restart the engine by cranking the starter after verifying that the fuel selector was on and the mixture control was set to full-rich, but the engine failed to restart. Prior to the off-airport landing, the pilot moved the fuel selector to the OFF position and the instructor pulled the mixture control to idle cutoff. The aircraft performed a forced landing in a wheat field north of the airport, where the nosewheel dug into muddy terrain, causing the airplane to nose over.
The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction were not injured and were able to exit the inverted aircraft.
Weather conditions at the time of the accident were reported as clear skies with 10 miles of visibility and calm winds.
The investigation
An FAA Airworthiness Inspector examined the aircraft at the accident site. Because the aircraft had remained inverted for several days prior to recovery, the fuel tanks contained no usable fuel at the time of examination.
Mechanical inspections revealed:
- Engine control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the carburetor and carburetor heat control.
- Engine crankshaft continuity was confirmed by rotating the propeller.
- There was no evidence of oil leaks.
- There was no evidence of damage to the cylinders or the crankcase.