C172 Flight Instructor and student reported engine failure during cruise flight. Flight crew conducted a safe off-airport landing.
Synopsis
C172 Flight Instructor and student reported engine failure during cruise flight. Flight crew conducted a safe off-airport landing.
Narrative
Preflight and DepartureOn Day 0; at XA:00; my student; Person B; and I departed from ZZZ Airport on a supervised long cross-country flight to ZZZ1 Airport.Preflight inspections were conducted thoroughly; including fuel quality and quantity checks; confirming a total of 44 gallons (22 gallons per tank). The fuel was free from contaminants. The oil level was verified at 7 quarts via dipstick. A complete external inspection revealed no discrepancies.The engine start-up showed no abnormalities. We performed a standard run-up as per the school-provided checklist; with no anomalies detected. We then departed from Runway XX; exiting the traffic pattern on a 310-degree northwest heading; climbing to our cruise altitude of 6;500 feet.In-Flight Operations and Engine FailureApproximately 1.5 hours into the flight; I provided instruction on leaning the mixture control; given that the Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) gauge was inoperative. The student; followed the procedure under my guidance which was to bring the mixture control out slowly until a slight drop in RPM was noticed and then enrichen the mixture by pushing the mixture control 5 times inward and verify that RPM gauge went back to 2300RPM. Later; he requested clarification and attempted to lean the mixture again. Upon doing so; the engine suddenly lost power and RPM was reading at 1300 and we observed that the propeller was still spinning however the engine had failed as the engine RPM would not increase after putting mixture to FULL rich and throttle control to full forward.I immediately assumed control; pushing the mixture to full rich; but the engine did not restart. I then pitched for the best glide speed of 68 knots and initiated the Engine Failure in Flight checklist; while instructing the student to cross-check against the physical checklist. The following steps were verified:Fuel Shutoff Valve: IN/ONMixture: Full richThrottle: Full forwardCircuit Breakers: Checked and intactMagnetos: Set to BOTH; then cycled through ONDespite multiple restart attempts; including cycling the fuel pump and throttle; the engine did not restart. Fuel levels were verified as sufficient; with 30 gallons remaining onboard.Landing ExecutionAt this point; we [requested priority handling] with ZZZ ATC and squawked XXXX. ZZZ ATC advised that ZZZ2;ZZZ3; and ZZZ4 were potential landing sites. However; we determined that we could not safely glide to any of these fields due to excessive altitude loss.We identified a road as a viable landing site based on EFB navigation data. Given the surrounding swamp terrain; I maneuvered the aircraft towards the road while continuing troubleshooting attempts.At 700 feet AGL; I began securing the aircraft and informed ZZZ ATC of our intent to land on the road. Two vehicles were observed in both directions on the road. To ensure safety; I delayed pulling the mixture until we cleared both vehicles at 500 feet AGL. I instructed the student to pull the Fuel Shutoff Valve while I made final adjustments; including flap deployment for a controlled descent.At approximately XC:54; I executed a successful landing on the centerline of the road; avoiding all obstacles and ensuring the safety of both the student and myself and ground vehicles.Post-Landing ActionsAfter touchdown; we secured the aircraft; informed ZZZ ATC of the successful landing; and awaited assistance. No injuries were sustained; and there was no damage to persons or property. The aircraft was later recovered for inspection.Conclusion and Lessons LearnedThe situation was handled in accordance with established procedures; emphasizing the importance of:Promptly executing the Engine Failure in Flight checklist.Maintaining situational awareness and assessing all potential landing sites.Effective communication with ATC for coordination and support.Making timely decisions to ensure the safest possible outcome.This incident underscores the critical nature of engine-out procedures andthe importance of ongoing training for pilots.
Second reporter narrative
On Day 0; I was conducting my Long Cross Country Solo flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1 under the supervision of my instructor; Person A. We began with a thorough preflight inspection of Aircraft X; including fuel quantity and quality. Each tank had a little over 22 gallons; totaling 44 gallons. The fuel was clean and free of contaminants. We confirmed 7 quarts of oil; and all systems were normal.We departed ZZZ from Runway XX and climbed to 6;500 feet for cruise. About 1.5 hours into the flight; with fuel readings showing approximately 15 gallons per tank; my instructor was demonstrating again how to lean the mixture properly based on RPM drop; not EGT (which was placarded inoperative). Suddenly; the engine lost all power while the propeller kept spinning and the rpm reading was somewhere close to 1300rpm.My flight instructor immediately took control of the aircraft; returned the mixture to full rich; and we began troubleshooting. While trimming for best glide speed (68 knots); we went through the Engine Failure in Flight checklist:- Fuel Selector: BOTH- Fuel Shutoff Valve: IN- Mixture: RICH- Throttle: OPEN 1/2'- Fuel Pump: ON- Magnetos: BOTH- Master Switch: ONWe made multiple restart attempts; alternating with and without the fuel pump; but the engine power did not come back. We contacted ZZZ ATC; squawked XXXX; and [requested priority handling]. Despite continued efforts; it became clear we needed to prepare for an off-airport landing -- though we continued trying to restart the engine until the very last minute.ATC initially advised a diversion to ZZZ2; and we turned in that direction. However; it became obvious to me that we would not make it due to our altitude; descent rate; and the extra risk of just forest and swamps between us and the airport. We then turned toward our next closest option; ZZZ3; but I quickly realized that based on the gliding rule of thumb for this airplane of 1.5nm per 1000ft; even at 3;000 feet we only had about 4.5 nm of glide range; and the airport was over 10 nm away.Our final decision was to turn toward a road; approximately 2 nm away. We flew parallel to it briefly; scanning for power lines; obstacles; and passing vehicles. I assisted by confirming the emergency landing checklist items and helping monitor our alignment for a safe landing.While descending; Person A deployed 30° of flaps and aligned us with the road. At 500 feet; we observed two cars ahead. I used the taxi and landing lights to flash the lead vehicle multiple times. Once we passed them; I switched off the master switch and unlatched my door. At Person A's instruction; I pulled the Fuel Shutoff Valve just before touchdown while he pulled the mixture to idle cutoff.We landed safely on the road without damage to the aircraft; passengers; or property.Lessons Learned:This experience emphasized the importance of:- Staying calm and methodical during situations- Following emergency checklists step-by-step- Maintaining situational awareness and working as a team (CRM)- Trusting your own judgment and understanding that PIC has final authority; even when ATC offers adviceHaving reviewed procedures and practiced engine-out scenarios beforehand gave me the confidence to work through the event effectively. I'm thankful for my instructor's support and for the safe outcome we achieved together.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.