What happened
On 2 August 2012, a Cessna 172S Skyhawk, registration D-EFUC, was conducting an aerial photography sortie near Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire. The flight had departed from Blackpool Airport and was proceeding normally until approximately two hours after takeoff. While cruising at an altitude of roughly 1,700 feet amsl, the aircraft's engine experienced a sudden loss of power.
Upon the loss of power, both engine FADEC warning lights illuminated. Although the propeller remained in motion, the engine display indicated that power had dropped to only 5%. The pilot attempted to restore power by manipulating the power lever and activating the electric fuel pump, but neither action produced a response from the engine.
In response to the emergency, the pilot issued a MAYDAY call on the Blackpool Radar frequency and selected a suitable field for an emergency descent. The aircraft performed a successful forced landing in a grass field. During the ground roll, the wheels sank into the soft terrain, causing the aircraft to pitch forward onto its nose before settling upright. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained a dent to the right wing leading edge and damage to the propeller.
The investigation
Following the incident, a maintenance organization attempted to retrieve data from the engine's Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. However, this data download was unsuccessful. At the time of the report, no further technical examination of the engine or the FADEC system had been completed.