Cessna 172E N377SP accident near East Bend, North Carolina

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

The pilot completed an uneventful preflight inspection and engine run-up before takeoff. However, as the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above the ground, it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, so he performed a forced landing to a corn field. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s fuel tanks contained about 21 gallons of uncontaminated aviation gasoline. The airplane had been operated about 19 hours in the 3 months since its most recent annual inspection, and the engine had been operated about 1,830 hours since it was overhauled. Although weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power, the investigation was unable to determine the cause of the power loss.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA12LA545 for the full record.