When The Student Applied Full Power, The Engine Did Not Respond

Location: Toms River, NJ Accident Number: ERA22LA217
Date & Time: May 1, 2022, 18:20 Local Registration: N737LY
Aircraft: Cessna 172N Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

On May 1, 2022, at 1820 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N737LY, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Toms River, New Jersey. The flight instructor and student pilot had no injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

According to the flight instructor, he stated they took off from Old Bridge Airport (3N6), Old Bridge, New Jersey about 1700 and flew to Ocean County Airport (MJX), Toms River, New Jersey, to practice some landings. The first landing was a straight-in approach to runway 14 and it went well. The second landing was a simulated engine out and it went well. The third landing was going to be another simulated engine out on runway 14 but when the student pilot turned the airplane for final approach, they were too high. The flight instructor asked the student pilot what he would do in this instance and the student pilot said he would land on runway 6.

The flight instructor told him to set up for landing on runway 6 and when they were at an altitude of about 400 ft above ground level, the flight instructor told
him to go ahead and apply full power since it all looked good. When the student applied full power, the engine did not respond. The flight instructor took over control of the airplane and tried to land on runway 24. The flight instructor knew they would not make the runway, so he tried to land in the grass.

The left wing contacted a fence and flipped the airplane over. The airplane came to rest inverted. Both pilots egressed the airplane. The grass caught fire from the wing contacting the fence, but the airplane did not catch on fire.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the right outer wing was bent down 90 degrees and the main spar was bent. The vertical and horizontal stabilizer was fractured off and only held on by control cables. The main landing gear was fractured off. The left-wing leading edge was damaged by contacting the fence and bent the main spar. The nose landing gear was separated off.

The airplane was retained for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov