CESSNA 172K

Full Narrative

On January 23, 2025, about 1515 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172K, N79910 , was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Columbia, California. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot stated that after departure he continued east to Columbia and entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at a 45° angle for runway 17. On the final approach, he noted that the airplane was high and maneuvered the airplane in a forward slip in an attempt to descend faster. As the airplane approached the runway, it was still too high, and the pilot determined there was not enough available distance to land safely. The pilot initiated a go-around by pushing the throttle fully forward to increase engine power and turned the carburetor heat off.

Shortly thereafter, the engine rpm began to decrease. He verified that the mixture, throttle, and carburetor heat were all fully forward and confirmed that the fuel selector was set to both tanks. When he moved the throttle aft and forward, the engine briefly surged, and the rpm increased. As he searched for a suitable off-airport landing site, he observed that the surrounding terrain was hilly with trees and brush. The engine then lost rpm again. With limited options, he turned left in an attempt to return to the runway. While transmitting a radio call to report the engine failure, he noticed the radios had gone blank. The airplane collided with trees and impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude.