What happened
On September 22, 2025, at approximately 1730 EDT, a Cessna 182F, registration N3192U, was involved in an accident near Williamsburg, Virginia. The aircraft was operating as a Part 91 personal flight, departing from Waltrip Williamsburg Executive Airport (JGG).
While climbing at 2,000 feet mean sea level, the pilot reported that the engine stumbled and lost all power. The pilot also noted hearing a noise described as a "crunching noise" at the same time the power was lost. After determining the aircraft could not return to JGG, the pilot performed a forced landing into a recently harvested corn field. During the landing, the aircraft overran the field, struck a tree, and flipped over. The pilot sustained one minor injury and was not killed.
The investigation
An FAA inspector examined the engine at the accident site. The inspection revealed that while the propeller could be rotated partially, it could not complete a full 360-degree rotation. Although oil was present on the underside of the engine compartment, no oil was found on the fuselage belly, and no visible damage to the engine was observed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including the separation of the right wing at mid-span and various buckles in the airframe.