Champion 7ECA N5094X accident near Tannersville, Pennsylvania

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot reported that, while returning from a local flight, the airplane was in cruise flight at 2,800 ft above ground level when the engine started to "sputter" and lost power. He set the mixture to the full rich position and applied the carburetor heat in an attempt to restore power but to no avail. The pilot conducted an emergency landing at an abandoned airfield, during which the left wing impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. While the weather conditions at an airport more than 40 miles away from the accident site were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor ice at cruise power settings, it could not be determined if carburetor icing played a role in the loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA16LA166 for the full record.