What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 9, 2026, at approximately 1850 local time, a Cessna 172P was conducting a part 91 introductory flight from Modesto, California, with two occupants on board: the pilot and a prospective flight student. While executing a slow cruise climb from 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet over the Modesto reservoir, the pilot operated the Lycoming O-320 D2J engine with the carburetor heat turned off to maximize power. High ambient humidity over the reservoir caused rapid carburetor icing, resulting in a sudden and complete loss of engine power. The pilot immediately applied carburetor heat, but at an altitude of approximately 1,700 feet and descending, there was insufficient time for the heat to clear the ice and restore power. The pilot declared a mayday emergency, stating the aircraft could not reach the airport, and successfully performed an off-field emergency landing on a grass field. The aircraft landed safely without sustaining damage, and neither occupant suffered injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1850 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 172P WAS CONDUCTING A PART 91 INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT FROM MODESTO, CALIFORNIA, WITH TWO OCCUPANTS ON BOARD: THE PILOT AND A PROSPECTIVE FLIGHT STUDENT. WHILE EXECUTING A SLOW CRUISE CLIMB FROM 1,000 FEET TO 2,000 FEET OVER THE MODESTO RESERVOIR, THE PILOT OPERATED THE LYCOMING O-320 D2J ENGINE WITH THE CARBURETOR HEAT TURNED OFF TO MAXIMIZE POWER. HIGH AMBIENT HUMIDITY OVER THE RESERVOIR CAUSED RAPID CARBURETOR ICING, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, BUT AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 1,700 FEET AND DESCENDING, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE HEAT TO CLEAR THE ICE AND RESTORE POWER. THE PILOT DECLARED A MAYDAY EMERGENCY, STATING THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT REACH THE AIRPORT, AND SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED AN OFF-FIELD EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GRASS FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT SUSTAINING DAMAGE, AND NEITHER OCCUPANT SUFFERED INJURIES.