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20241203018799I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Cessna 172F · Edina, MO · December 3, 2024

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 3, 2024 · 16:08 local
Place
Edina, MO
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N8757U
Reported as
Cessna 172F
Reported engine
Continental 0-300 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,700 total219 in this make and model74 in the last 90 days
N8757URegistered now · Cessna 172FS/N 17252661 · Built 1965Airframe modelCessna 172FEngine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On December 03, 2024, a Cessna 172 landed in a field 3 miles nnw of Edina, MO after experiencing a loss of engine power

On a VFR flight from the departure airport. About three quarters of the way through the route PIC noticed the fuel indicators showing there was a slight imbalance of fuel with the right tank showing more fuel than the left. The PIC switched the selector from both tanks to the right tank to help even out the fuel. Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes into the flight, the aircraft was above the town of Edina, Missouri when a sudden loss of power occurred, engine rpms went from ~2450-2500 to ~900-1000. Without sufficient power the aircraft was in a “zero thrust” condition and began to descend. PIC executed emergency procedure checklists. The engine remained at about 900-1000 rpms as the PIC configured for best glide and started to head to his selected landing spot. Around 1000AGL or less there was total power loss and the propeller stopped spinning completely. PIC conducted soft field landing without causing injuries or damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 03, 2024, A CESSNA 172 LANDED IN A FIELD 3 MILES NNW OF EDINA, MO AFTER EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER

ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE ROUTE PIC NOTICED THE FUEL INDICATORS SHOWING THERE WAS A SLIGHT IMBALANCE OF FUEL WITH THE RIGHT TANK SHOWING MORE FUEL THAN THE LEFT. THE PIC SWITCHED THE SELECTOR FROM BOTH TANKS TO THE RIGHT TANK TO HELP EVEN OUT THE FUEL. APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOVE THE TOWN OF EDINA, MISSOURI WHEN A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED, ENGINE RPMS WENT FROM ~2450-2500 TO ~900-1000. WITHOUT SUFFICIENT POWER THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A “ZERO THRUST” CONDITION AND BEGAN TO DESCEND. PIC EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECKLISTS. THE ENGINE REMAINED AT ABOUT 900-1000 RPMS AS THE PIC CONFIGURED FOR BEST GLIDE AND STARTED TO HEAD TO HIS SELECTED LANDING SPOT. AROUND 1000AGL OR LESS THERE WAS TOTAL POWER LOSS AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED SPINNING COMPLETELY. PIC CONDUCTED SOFT FIELD LANDING WITHOUT CAUSING INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.