GA small aircraft engine failure results in emergency off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	147625
Time
Date	199006
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ggf
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 80
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 170 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	147625
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Engine failed on approach for precautionary landing. Engine failed to develop full power on takeoff and failed on approach. I could not make it to the runway so I planned a landing on highway 61 going north. Approaching veh traffic forced a landing on the east ditch. As the aircraft touched down the engine developed partial power so that I was able to regain flight and avoid an obstacle in the ditch. Another attempt to reach the airport runway was made. The engine failed completely on the second approach and aircraft touched down in the grass about 30' short of the runway but a successful landing was made with no damage to the aircraft. I feel the engine failure was due to a combination of high ambient air temperature and an overly lean fuel mixture. The main causal factor was my tolerance of an engine that did not develop full power. I also failed to maintain a high enough approach to allow for an engine failure. I will, in the future, abort any takeoff in which the engine fails to perform properly. I will practice simulated engine failures to learn an unfamiliar aircraft's glide performance. This matter has been discussed with a CFI and his suggestions will be applied.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENGINE FAILURE RESULTS IN EMERGENCY OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: ENG FAILED ON APCH FOR PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. ENG FAILED TO DEVELOP FULL PWR ON TKOF AND FAILED ON APCH. I COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE RWY SO I PLANNED A LNDG ON HWY 61 GOING N. APCHING VEH TFC FORCED A LNDG ON THE E DITCH. AS THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN THE ENG DEVELOPED PARTIAL PWR SO THAT I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FLT AND AVOID AN OBSTACLE IN THE DITCH. ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO REACH THE ARPT RWY WAS MADE. THE ENG FAILED COMPLETELY ON THE SECOND APCH AND ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE GRASS ABOUT 30' SHORT OF THE RWY BUT A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS MADE WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. I FEEL THE ENG FAILURE WAS DUE TO A COMBINATION OF HIGH AMBIENT AIR TEMP AND AN OVERLY LEAN FUEL MIXTURE. THE MAIN CAUSAL FACTOR WAS MY TOLERANCE OF AN ENG THAT DID NOT DEVELOP FULL PWR. I ALSO FAILED TO MAINTAIN A HIGH ENOUGH APCH TO ALLOW FOR AN ENG FAILURE. I WILL, IN THE FUTURE, ABORT ANY TKOF IN WHICH THE ENG FAILS TO PERFORM PROPERLY. I WILL PRACTICE SIMULATED ENG FAILURES TO LEARN AN UNFAMILIAR ACFT'S GLIDE PERFORMANCE. THIS MATTER HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH A CFI AND HIS SUGGESTIONS WILL BE APPLIED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.