CHI99LA336

The pilot said that after lift off, the airplane's engine 'failed.' He said that he performed a controlled landing straight ahead into a corn field. The nose wheel broke off, the strut caught in the ground, and the plane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

On September 11, 1999, at 1315 eastern standard time (est), a Cessna 172M, N172DJ, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when during a forced landing in a corn field, the airplane nosed over. Subsequent to the forced landing, the airplane's engine lost power, just after takeoff from a privately-owned grass airstrip, located 2 miles southeast of Daleville, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The two passengers on board the airplane sustained minor injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. In his written statement, the pilot said that he performed a pre-flight on the airplane prior to the flight. It was the second pleasure flight of the day. He said that after lift off, the engine "failed." He said that he performed a controlled landing straight ahead into a corn field. The nose wheel broke off, the strut caught in the ground, and the airplane nosed over. An FAA inspector examined the airplane wreckage at the accident site. The airplane was found resting inverted in a corn field approximately 60 feet southeast of the departure end of the pilot's private grass airstrip. The airstrip (1,864' X 40') was oriented on a northwest to southeasterly heading. The airplane's right wing was bent rearward at the wing root. The right aft cabin window was broken inward. The airplane's left wing tip was broken off. The top of the airplane's vertical stabilizer was crushed inward and broken. The top of the rudder showed minor damage. The airplane's nose wheel and wheel pant was broken rearward. One of the engine's mounts was broken. Both propeller blades were bent rearward and showed torsional bending and chordwise scratches. One of the two propeller blades was curled at the tip. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Fuel was confirmed in the fuel vent lines. Both airplane fuel tanks were approximately 1/2 full. The airplane's engine was test run on September 21, 1999, at Dayton, Ohio. The engine produced full power and showed no anomalies. No anomalies were found in any of the other airplane systems.