What happened
On December 26, 2025, a Cessna 172G, registration N172BX, was involved in an accident near Taylor, Texas. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for the purpose of practicing flight maneuvers.
The aircraft departed from runway 17 at Taylor Municipal Airport (T74) at approximately 1422. After performing various maneuvers east of the airport, the pilot returned to T74 and entered the traffic pattern to perform a touch-and-go landing on runway 17. During the subsequent takeoff attempt, the engine experienced a total loss of power at approximately 300 feet agl after full power had been applied.
With limited options for a forced landing, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft into a flat grass field near the end of the runway. The airplane impacted the field, bounced, and traveled into a northwest-to-southeast oriented ditch located roughly 100 feet southwest of the departure end of runway 17. The ditch was approximately 4 to 5 feet deep and filled with fresh water. The pilot and passenger were not injured and were able to exit the aircraft without incident.
At the time of the event, the pilot reported that the wing fuel tanks were approximately one-quarter full and that the carburetor heat system had not been utilized during the preceding approach, landing, or takeoff. Although the aircraft had been modified via an approved supplemental type certificate to use unleaded automotive gasoline, it was operating on 100LL fuel at the time of the accident.