Cessna 172 N78445 accident near Terryville, Connecticut

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

The airplane was filled with fuel before the student pilot began the solo cross-country flight. About 30 minutes after departure, at 5,500 ft mean sea level, the engine rpm began to decrease until the engine lost all power, and the propeller was not windmilling. The pilot tried to restart the engine, but the propeller would not turn. She applied carburetor heat after the total loss of engine power but was not able to regain engine power. The pilot attempted to glide the airplane to a nearby airport, but it impacted wooded terrain about 1 mile from the airport and came to rest inverted.

A review of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed a risk of serious icing at glide power; however, the engine was at cruise power before the loss of engine power.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed about 3/4 of the total fuel capacity remained onboard, and fuel was leaking from the wing fuel tanks that were compromised during the impact. The engine was subsequently examined at a recovery facility. Powertrain and valvetrain continuity were confirmed throughout the engine and no anomalies were noted. The engine was then started on the airframe. It started without hesitation and ran continuously at idle power. Due to airframe damage, higher power settings were not attempted.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA241 for the full record.