A high time, private, small aircraft pilot had an engine failure. He landed wheels up in a soft file...

Attributes
ACN	209715
Time
Date	199204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tdz
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	209715
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Engine began to miss after about 30 mins normal straight and level operation following normal full power takeoff. Change of fuel tanks, adjustment of throttle and mixture did not improve condition. Called metcalf field unicom by radio for landing information. Engine began to lose power and could not maintain altitude to enter landing pattern. Selected emergency landing area, maintained airspeed while maneuvering and landed gear up in soft freshly plowed farm field. No injury to pilot or either of the 2 passenger aboard. Aircraft was a fuel injection small aircraft. Cause of engine loss of power is under investigation by FBO at metcalf field. Aircraft had been operated infrequently, but engine had been started and run normally twice a month. On day of incident, engine had been difficult to start due to warm temperature and flooding, but was finally started and run on the ground twice during the day for about 45 min with no symptom of difficulty. FBO who assisted in starting said this model was notorious for hard starting, vapor locking, and flooding, but indicated this is a normal condition. I believe that my pilot training with regard to emergency engine out and landing procedures prevented this from being a substantial damage or injury event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HIGH TIME, PRIVATE, SMA PLT HAD AN ENG FAILURE. HE LANDED WHEELS UP IN A SOFT FILED WITH NO RPTED INJURIES. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE.

Narrative: ENG BEGAN TO MISS AFTER ABOUT 30 MINS NORMAL STRAIGHT AND LEVEL OP FOLLOWING NORMAL FULL PWR TKOF. CHANGE OF FUEL TANKS, ADJUSTMENT OF THROTTLE AND MIXTURE DID NOT IMPROVE CONDITION. CALLED METCALF FIELD UNICOM BY RADIO FOR LNDG INFO. ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT TO ENTER LNDG PATTERN. SELECTED EMER LNDG AREA, MAINTAINED AIRSPD WHILE MANEUVERING AND LANDED GEAR UP IN SOFT FRESHLY PLOWED FARM FIELD. NO INJURY TO PLT OR EITHER OF THE 2 PAX ABOARD. ACFT WAS A FUEL INJECTION SMA. CAUSE OF ENG LOSS OF PWR IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY FBO AT METCALF FIELD. ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATED INFREQUENTLY, BUT ENG HAD BEEN STARTED AND RUN NORMALLY TWICE A MONTH. ON DAY OF INCIDENT, ENG HAD BEEN DIFFICULT TO START DUE TO WARM TEMP AND FLOODING, BUT WAS FINALLY STARTED AND RUN ON THE GND TWICE DURING THE DAY FOR ABOUT 45 MIN WITH NO SYMPTOM OF DIFFICULTY. FBO WHO ASSISTED IN STARTING SAID THIS MODEL WAS NOTORIOUS FOR HARD STARTING, VAPOR LOCKING, AND FLOODING, BUT INDICATED THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION. I BELIEVE THAT MY PLT TRAINING WITH REGARD TO EMER ENG OUT AND LNDG PROCS PREVENTED THIS FROM BEING A SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OR INJURY EVENT.

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.

A high time, private, small aircraft pilot had an engine failure. He landed wheels up in a soft filed with no reported injuries. There was some damage.