Narrative:

Local instructional dual flight, radio intermittent failure during ILS practice approachs, eventually radio failed -- return to airport of departure and origination -- (1X) practiced feathering left engine -- re-start unable several tries -- instructor took controls to enter downwind runway 27 -- while mei set up pattern I started to pump gear down manually. On base 0 green indicator lights -- continued pumping gear handle -- short final for runway pulled CO2 bottle, still no 3 green indications -- I continued pumping handle, mid runway, no lights, my instructor adds power to right engine after unable to see gear down lights on. Past runway 0 climb possible on 1 engine. Left turn to land with rows in field -- forced landing in muddy soft field -- some damage to gear and propeller on right engine. No injuries to occupants. 'Hindsight' -- with radio problems possible electrical problems, exercise to feather left engine should have been avoided, radio problem and ammeter indicated discharge -- 10 amps approximately could indicate alternator failure or generator switch off causing running off battery. Also, considering terrain, landing could have been made straight ahead. Landing on runway was possible but without 3 green indicator lights it was uncertain if gear was locked at point of touchdown. Also emergency checklist wasn't used and there was time to review checklist and time to review switches on, etc. Emphasis in training on a 'system perspective' if problems occur with the radio, could this be indicative of a larger problem. This view with domino effect could have affected decision to practice 'critical engine out' maneuver. Supplemental information from acn 205000: all gauges on the aircraft indicated that the electrical system on the aircraft was functioning properly. I elected to land in the field since, while we were still attempting to get the gear down and locked while over the runway, I hit actual VMC twice, which turned the plane 30 or 40 degrees to the left. Feeling that it was not safe to attempt a straight ahead landing on the runway, and also wanting to avoid any cartwheeling of the aircraft. I cut the power to the right engine and landed with the rows of the field. My student and I walked away unharmed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER FORCED OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: LCL INSTRUCTIONAL DUAL FLT, RADIO INTERMITTENT FAILURE DURING ILS PRACTICE APCHS, EVENTUALLY RADIO FAILED -- RETURN TO ARPT OF DEP AND ORIGINATION -- (1X) PRACTICED FEATHERING L ENG -- RE-START UNABLE SEVERAL TRIES -- INSTRUCTOR TOOK CTLS TO ENTER DOWNWIND RWY 27 -- WHILE MEI SET UP PATTERN I STARTED TO PUMP GEAR DOWN MANUALLY. ON BASE 0 GREEN INDICATOR LIGHTS -- CONTINUED PUMPING GEAR HANDLE -- SHORT FINAL FOR RWY PULLED CO2 BOTTLE, STILL NO 3 GREEN INDICATIONS -- I CONTINUED PUMPING HANDLE, MID RWY, NO LIGHTS, MY INSTRUCTOR ADDS PWR TO R ENG AFTER UNABLE TO SEE GEAR DOWN LIGHTS ON. PAST RWY 0 CLB POSSIBLE ON 1 ENG. L TURN TO LAND WITH ROWS IN FIELD -- FORCED LNDG IN MUDDY SOFT FIELD -- SOME DAMAGE TO GEAR AND PROP ON R ENG. NO INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS. 'HINDSIGHT' -- WITH RADIO PROBLEMS POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, EXERCISE TO FEATHER L ENG SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, RADIO PROBLEM AND AMMETER INDICATED DISCHARGE -- 10 AMPS APPROX COULD INDICATE ALTERNATOR FAILURE OR GENERATOR SWITCH OFF CAUSING RUNNING OFF BATTERY. ALSO, CONSIDERING TERRAIN, LNDG COULD HAVE BEEN MADE STRAIGHT AHEAD. LNDG ON RWY WAS POSSIBLE BUT WITHOUT 3 GREEN INDICATOR LIGHTS IT WAS UNCERTAIN IF GEAR WAS LOCKED AT POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. ALSO EMER CHKLIST WASN'T USED AND THERE WAS TIME TO REVIEW CHKLIST AND TIME TO REVIEW SWITCHES ON, ETC. EMPHASIS IN TRAINING ON A 'SYS PERSPECTIVE' IF PROBLEMS OCCUR WITH THE RADIO, COULD THIS BE INDICATIVE OF A LARGER PROBLEM. THIS VIEW WITH DOMINO EFFECT COULD HAVE AFFECTED DECISION TO PRACTICE 'CRITICAL ENG OUT' MANEUVER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 205000: ALL GAUGES ON THE ACFT INDICATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYS ON THE ACFT WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I ELECTED TO LAND IN THE FIELD SINCE, WHILE WE WERE STILL ATTEMPTING TO GET THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED WHILE OVER THE RWY, I HIT ACTUAL VMC TWICE, WHICH TURNED THE PLANE 30 OR 40 DEGS TO THE L. FEELING THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO ATTEMPT A STRAIGHT AHEAD LNDG ON THE RWY, AND ALSO WANTING TO AVOID ANY CARTWHEELING OF THE ACFT. I CUT THE PWR TO THE R ENG AND LANDED WITH THE ROWS OF THE FIELD. MY STUDENT AND I WALKED AWAY UNHARMED.

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.