Narrative:

The situation discussed here occurred on a dual, student training flight. I, the CFI, was the PIC and a student, who did not hold a student pilot license, were the sole occupants of an small aircraft sel aircraft. On jul/xx/92 at about PM30 we were in uncontrolled airspace at 800 ft MSL over a sparsely populated area surrounded by large farmers fields, which in my opinion are the most ideal and realistic place to practice emergency procedures. About 13 NM southeast of the bwi airport at 800 ft MSL, below the floor of the TCA, I reduced the throttle on the engine and pulled the carburetor heat on, and told the student to pick a safe place to make an emergency landing and set up an approach to land. I told him that I would advise him when to perform a go around. He chose a large field almost straight ahead which would provide a soft landing into the wind. When we reached 500 ft MSL it was unclr if we would make the field. I told the student to perform a slip to lose the altitude to make a safe landing. At 150 ft MSL, he kicked out of the slip and extended the last increment of flaps. It was now clear that we could make a safe landing in the field, clear all obstructions, and not jeopardize the property or safety of nearby persons or property. At this point we performed a go around. The plane may have come within 100 ft AGL of the ground. This may have been seen by a nearby passing car. A climb out speed was made at vx until 300 ft AGL then at vy until 1000 ft AGL where we leveled out. Even though the gars do not allow flight to occur closer than 500 ft AGL in a sparsely populated area, I felt that we would not endanger the safety of others by breaking this rule. Furthermore I feel that letting a student experience the type of situation described above will be a strong benefit when he needs to handle a true emergency close to the ground. During the approach and climb out of the maneuver the plane may have flown as close as 100 ft AGL to a car and 300-400 ft AGL above a house. I am sorry if my actions upset any persons on the ground. Even though I feel that practicing emergency procedures close to the ground and not near an airport is good experience for the students to stay within accordance with the FARS, I will, in the future, practice these at higher altitudes or at airports of intended landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING FLT INSTRUCTION IN FORCED LNDGS, INSTRUCTOR ALLOWED ACFT TO GO BELOW MIN REQUIRED SAFE ALTS.

Narrative: THE SITUATION DISCUSSED HERE OCCURRED ON A DUAL, STUDENT TRAINING FLT. I, THE CFI, WAS THE PIC AND A STUDENT, WHO DID NOT HOLD A STUDENT PLT LICENSE, WERE THE SOLE OCCUPANTS OF AN SMA SEL ACFT. ON JUL/XX/92 AT ABOUT PM30 WE WERE IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE AT 800 FT MSL OVER A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA SURROUNDED BY LARGE FARMERS FIELDS, WHICH IN MY OPINION ARE THE MOST IDEAL AND REALISTIC PLACE TO PRACTICE EMER PROCS. ABOUT 13 NM SE OF THE BWI ARPT AT 800 FT MSL, BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TCA, I REDUCED THE THROTTLE ON THE ENG AND PULLED THE CARB HEAT ON, AND TOLD THE STUDENT TO PICK A SAFE PLACE TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG AND SET UP AN APCH TO LAND. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD ADVISE HIM WHEN TO PERFORM A GAR. HE CHOSE A LARGE FIELD ALMOST STRAIGHT AHEAD WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A SOFT LNDG INTO THE WIND. WHEN WE REACHED 500 FT MSL IT WAS UNCLR IF WE WOULD MAKE THE FIELD. I TOLD THE STUDENT TO PERFORM A SLIP TO LOSE THE ALT TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG. AT 150 FT MSL, HE KICKED OUT OF THE SLIP AND EXTENDED THE LAST INCREMENT OF FLAPS. IT WAS NOW CLR THAT WE COULD MAKE A SAFE LNDG IN THE FIELD, CLR ALL OBSTRUCTIONS, AND NOT JEOPARDIZE THE PROPERTY OR SAFETY OF NEARBY PERSONS OR PROPERTY. AT THIS POINT WE PERFORMED A GAR. THE PLANE MAY HAVE COME WITHIN 100 FT AGL OF THE GND. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN SEEN BY A NEARBY PASSING CAR. A CLBOUT SPD WAS MADE AT VX UNTIL 300 FT AGL THEN AT VY UNTIL 1000 FT AGL WHERE WE LEVELED OUT. EVEN THOUGH THE GARS DO NOT ALLOW FLT TO OCCUR CLOSER THAN 500 FT AGL IN A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA, I FELT THAT WE WOULD NOT ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF OTHERS BY BREAKING THIS RULE. FURTHERMORE I FEEL THAT LETTING A STUDENT EXPERIENCE THE TYPE OF SITUATION DESCRIBED ABOVE WILL BE A STRONG BENEFIT WHEN HE NEEDS TO HANDLE A TRUE EMER CLOSE TO THE GND. DURING THE APCH AND CLBOUT OF THE MANEUVER THE PLANE MAY HAVE FLOWN AS CLOSE AS 100 FT AGL TO A CAR AND 300-400 FT AGL ABOVE A HOUSE. I AM SORRY IF MY ACTIONS UPSET ANY PERSONS ON THE GND. EVEN THOUGH I FEEL THAT PRACTICING EMER PROCS CLOSE TO THE GND AND NOT NEAR AN ARPT IS GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THE STUDENTS TO STAY WITHIN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FARS, I WILL, IN THE FUTURE, PRACTICE THESE AT HIGHER ALTS OR AT ARPTS OF INTENDED LNDG.

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.