C172 Flight Instructor reported engine roughness on final approach in visual conditions. After touchdown; the engine failed on the landing rollout where the aircraft was then towed off the runway.
Synopsis
C172 Flight Instructor reported engine roughness on final approach in visual conditions. After touchdown; the engine failed on the landing rollout where the aircraft was then towed off the runway.
Narrative
During an engine break in flight with myself and another instructor; I noticed engine roughness while pulling the power back through 1500 RPM while on final approach to runway XX. Below 1500 RPM; the RPMs began free-falling so I put power back in and kept it above 1500 RPM until over the numbers of runway XX. We did not know if we were going to lose the engine; so I erred on the side of caution by keeping power in longer and coming in a little higher than normal. While flaring during the landing; the engine fully quit and the propeller came to a stop while rolling out; at the same time that tower was giving us taxi instructions for the FBO. I informed the tower immediately after realizing; that we had lost our engine and would not be able to exit the runway. The FBO assisted with towing us off the runway. We immediately checked fuel and oil; both were sufficient and could not have caused the failure. After further inspection by an A&P; we discovered that the carburetor mixture idle control screw was missing and presumed to have vibrated free from the carburetor; causing fuel to not make it into the engine at low RPMs.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.