N7566M

On August 27, 1999, at 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 175, N7566M, collided with a fence during a forced landing in a corn field following a complete loss of engine power in Mountain City, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot received serious injuries, and his passenger received minor injuries. The flight initially departed Johnson County Airport in Mountain City, Tennessee, at 1455.

The pilot reported that after completing a normal preflight of the airplane, he rolled the airplane out of the hangar for the flight. A normal engine run-up was completed, and the initial takeoff to climb was also normal. Shortly after liftoff from runway 24, the pilot reported a loss of engine power. The pilot selected a corn field on the departure end of runway 24 for an emergency landing. After landing in the field, the airplane collided with a fence and flipped inverted.

The examination of the airplane and engine assembly failed to disclose a component failure. However, during the examination of the fuel system, a wasp nest was found in the fuel system vent.