What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 1:45 pm eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172 aircraft, N13SK, sustained substantial damage following impact with terrain while returning from a sight-seeing flight over spencer, Indiana.
The commercial pilot occupant and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to the pilot and was being operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed or required.
The pilot stated that the aircraft experienced a sudden drop in engine RPM and a "popping" noise during cruise at 2,000 MSL. He scanned the instrument panel and noticed that the engine RPM had decreased from 2300 to 1700. The engine then began a gradual decrease in RPM towards idle. He confirmed that the fuel selector and ignition switch were in the "both" positions. He applied carburetor heat and noticed an additional decrease in RPM. He stated that because of his proximity to the ground, he elected to remove carburetor heat immediately after applying it. He did not perform a magneto check.
The witnesses, who are the property owners residing next to the field where the accident occurred, reported hearing a "popping" noise from the aircraft as it descended over their property towards the point of impact. An examination of the corn indentations revealed the aircraft impacted the cornfield on a northwest heading, slid approximately 70 feet and came to rest facing east. The left wing, right wing, and nose landing gear received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 1:45 PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRCRAFT, N13SK, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN WHILE RETURNING FROM A SIGHT-SEEING FLIGHT OVER SPENCER, INDIANA.
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT OCCUPANT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO THE PILOT AND WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED OR REQUIRED.
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN DROP IN ENGINE RPM AND A "POPPING" NOISE DURING CRUISE AT 2,000 MSL. HE SCANNED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE RPM HAD DECREASED FROM 2300 TO 1700. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN A GRADUAL DECREASE IN RPM TOWARDS IDLE. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR AND IGNITION SWITCH WERE IN THE "BOTH" POSITIONS. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND NOTICED AN ADDITIONAL DECREASE IN RPM. HE STATED THAT BECAUSE OF HIS PROXIMITY TO THE GROUND, HE ELECTED TO REMOVE CARBURETOR HEAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER APPLYING IT. HE DID NOT PERFORM A MAGNETO CHECK.
THE WITNESSES, WHO ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS RESIDING NEXT TO THE FIELD WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, REPORTED HEARING A "POPPING" NOISE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS IT DESCENDED OVER THEIR PROPERTY TOWARDS THE POINT OF IMPACT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE CORN INDENTATIONS REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE CORNFIELD ON A NORTHWEST HEADING, SLID APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET AND CAME TO REST FACING EAST. THE LEFT WING, RIGHT WING, AND NOSE LANDING GEAR RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.