Cessna172

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 2021 Eastern time when it collided with trees and terrain following a total loss of engine power on approach. The instructor pilot/owner-operator and the commercial-rated pilot receiving instruction sustained minor injuries. Night visual conditions prevailed.

The pilot departed on a 1+50 cross-country flight with approximately 30 gallons of fuel in each wing tank (approximately 27 gallons usable fuel per side). The flight was uneventful until he started a descent from 8000 feet msl to 3000 feet, when the engine made “two pops” and “quit.” The pilot said there was no engine roughness, “It just stopped.” He made several attempts to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency and landed in a field. Upon landing, the nose gear dug into the dirt and separated from the airplane.

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted airport terrain at about 0930 Mountain time during an attempted takeoff. The flight instructor (CFI), student pilot and passenger were uninjured. Visual conditions prevailed. The CFI’s logbook showed about 303 hours; the student had logged about four hours. During the takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer to the right and the CFI instructed the student to correct to the left.

At about 1558 Mountain time, the airplane impacted trees and snow-covered mountainous terrain. The pilot was fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a VFR flight plan.

The airplane collided into a muddy field at about 1605 Pacific time following a total loss of engine power during initial climb. The flight instructor and passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane had recently undergone an annual inspection; the accident flight was the first one since that maintenance was conducted. After takeoff, the instructor made the short flight to the destination and decided to perform several touch-and-go landings.

The airplane sustained minor damage and a student pilot received a serious ground injury when his left arm came into contact with the propeller following engine start at about 1315 Eastern time. The CFI was not injured; visual meteorological conditions prevailed. After practicing touch-and-go landings, the CFI and student performed a full-stop landing, taxied to the ramp and shut down the airplane. About 15 minutes later, both pilots returned to the airplane for another flight; however, the airplane’s battery was depleted and the engine would not start.

At about 1130 Pacific time, the airplane made an off-airport forced landing. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured; one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed.

The pilot later reported taking off from Runway 27 with winds from 180 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 23 knots. The airplane encountered a strong gust of wind at about five to 10 feet above the runway, then drifted left of centerline and bounced on the runway. The pilot steered the airplane back to the centerline and attempted to abort the takeoff by applying full brakes and pulling the throttle to idle. The airplane went off the end of the 3227 foot runway and the pilot was unable to stop on the wet grass as it went down an embankment. The airplane crossed a road and went into a steep ditch, sustaining substantial damage.

At about 1530 Eastern time, the airplane experienced a hard forced landing. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The solo private pilot was not injured.While en route, the engine began to run rough, followed by a loss of power. Because he was unable to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to land downwind and touched down about midpoint of the runway. The nose landing gear contacted the runway surface hard. The No. 3 cylinder assembly was circumferentially fractured, separating the barrel and head. There also was structural damage to the engine firewall.

The airplane had reached approximately 80 feet agl on takeoff when it encountered an “air pocket.” The airplane descended; its left wing contacted 20-foot-tall trees. The airplane descended to the ground, coming to rest alongside a building. The left wing was substantially damaged. The density altitude was calculated to be 3790 feet. The pilot recommended that taking off with a cooler temperature and less weight in the airplane could have prevented the accident. The pilot did not recognize and compensate for the high density altitude existing at the time of takeoff.