The airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence and trees during a forced landing at 1545 Eastern time. Visual conditions prevailed. The private pilot reported minor injuries. The pilot later stated he was in cruise flight at 5000 feet when the engine started to run a little rough. A short time later he smelled fuel. He opened air vents but the smell persisted. After querying ATC on the nearest airports location, the pilot observed an open field and initiated a forced landing to the field. The engine stopped less than a minute after he informed ATC that he needed to land. The airplane touched down in the field, went through a fence, collided with trees and came to a complete stop.
January 5, 2008, Spotsylvania, Va., Cessna R172K
The airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence and trees during a forced landing at 1545 Eastern time. Visual conditions prevailed. The private pilot reported minor injuries. The pilot later stated he was in cruise flight at 5000 feet when the engine started to run a little rough. A short time later he smelled fuel. He opened air vents but the smell persisted. After querying ATC on the nearest airports location, the pilot observed an open field and initiated a forced landing to the field. The engine stopped less than a minute after he informed ATC that he needed to land. The airplane touched down in the field, went through a fence, collided with trees and came to a complete stop.
Key Takeaways:
- A private pilot executed a forced landing after experiencing engine roughness and a strong fuel smell, which quickly led to complete engine failure.
- During the landing in an open field, the airplane collided with a fence and trees, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.
- Despite the significant damage to the plane, the pilot reported only minor injuries from the incident.
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