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20260509005359I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Cessna 172K · Bancroft, NE · May 9, 2026

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 9, 2026 · 08:00 local
Place
Bancroft, NE
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N79002
Reported as
Cessna 172K
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
201 total201 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days
N79002Registered now · Cessna 172KS/N 17257799Airframe modelCessna 172KEngine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

Aircraft was enroute from fremont, NE (kfet) to souix city IA (K7K7) at 2500 ft altitude with a pilot reported a 60 degree air temp and area humidity reading of 65 to 75% reported by METAR. Pilot stated the engine began running rough while enroute. Pilot applied carb heat but, not seeing any immediate response he shut the carb heat off. Pilot contacted ATC at souix city (ksux) and asked for nearest airport. Pilot was given airport K0C4 by sux ATC at his 1 o'clock and 9 miles distance. Pilot responded that he had an open field infront of him and elected to land the aircraft in the field. Aircraft landed safely in the field approximately 1/2 mile east of county road 24 and 1/4 mile south of w road north of Bancroft, NE with no injuries to pilot or passengers. Post incident investigation showed no damage to the aircraft during landing. Post incident inspection of the aircraft did not reveal any defects to the engine or aircraft that would contribute to the rough running engine reported by the pilot. Fuel, engine controls, carb heat controls, spark plugs, engine compression were inspected with no anomalies noted. Engine was test run in my presence. Aircraft ran normally, with standard magneto drop at 1800 RPM on both mags and made full power during static run up. Aircraft was flown from the incident location back to its home base.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM FREMONT, NE (KFET) TO SOUIX CITY IA (K7K7) AT 2500 FT ALTITUDE WITH A PILOT REPORTED A 60 DEGREE AIR TEMP AND AREA HUMIDITY READING OF 65 TO 75% REPORTED BY METAR. PILOT STATED THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH WHILE ENROUTE. PILOT APPLIED CARB HEAT BUT, NOT SEEING ANY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE HE SHUT THE CARB HEAT OFF. PILOT CONTACTED ATC AT SOUIX CITY (KSUX) AND ASKED FOR NEAREST AIRPORT. PILOT WAS GIVEN AIRPORT K0C4 BY SUX ATC AT HIS 1 O'CLOCK AND 9 MILES DISTANCE. PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE HAD AN OPEN FIELD INFRONT OF HIM AND ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN THE FIELD. AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE EAST OF COUNTY ROAD 24 AND 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF W ROAD NORTH OF BANCROFT, NE WITH NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGERS. POST INCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING. POST INCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFECTS TO THE ENGINE OR AIRCRAFT THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. FUEL, ENGINE CONTROLS, CARB HEAT CONTROLS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE COMPRESSION WERE INSPECTED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. ENGINE WAS TEST RUN IN MY PRESENCE. AIRCRAFT RAN NORMALLY, WITH STANDARD MAGNETO DROP AT 1800 RPM ON BOTH MAGS AND MADE FULL POWER DURING STATIC RUN UP. AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN FROM THE INCIDENT LOCATION BACK TO ITS HOME BASE.