Small aircraft lands in a field after the engine failed.

Attributes
ACN	251851
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zer
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	251851
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Because I had not contacted harrisburg approach after departing seg to request flight following, I was not in radio contact with an ATC facility when 15 mins later, I detected 'no oil pressure.' at this time I considered communicating my problem on 121.5 but decided not to let myself become distracted from flying the plane and looking for a place to land. Had I already been in contact with ATC, it would have been easy for me to communicate my problem (i.e., I would not have had to change frequency). My engine failed about 5 mins later, however, I was able to land in a field with no injuries to my wife or me and little damage to the airplane. Assistance arrived within mins of our landing. We were lucky that I didn't go down in the surrounding terrain which was pretty rough. Had we done so and been injured, we might not have gotten assistance so soon. Flight following service would have minimized the chances of not receiving prompt assistance on the ground. Of course, I could have also received vectoring assistance if needed. In the future, I will make more use of ATC for flight following, not just for TA's in congested airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LANDS IN A FIELD AFTER THE ENG FAILED.

Narrative: BECAUSE I HAD NOT CONTACTED HARRISBURG APCH AFTER DEPARTING SEG TO REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING, I WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH AN ATC FACILITY WHEN 15 MINS LATER, I DETECTED 'NO OIL PRESSURE.' AT THIS TIME I CONSIDERED COMMUNICATING MY PROB ON 121.5 BUT DECIDED NOT TO LET MYSELF BECOME DISTRACTED FROM FLYING THE PLANE AND LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND. HAD I ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ATC, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR ME TO COMMUNICATE MY PROB (I.E., I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO CHANGE FREQ). MY ENG FAILED ABOUT 5 MINS LATER, HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO LAND IN A FIELD WITH NO INJURIES TO MY WIFE OR ME AND LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. ASSISTANCE ARRIVED WITHIN MINS OF OUR LNDG. WE WERE LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T GO DOWN IN THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN WHICH WAS PRETTY ROUGH. HAD WE DONE SO AND BEEN INJURED, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE GOTTEN ASSISTANCE SO SOON. FLT FOLLOWING SVC WOULD HAVE MINIMIZED THE CHANCES OF NOT RECEIVING PROMPT ASSISTANCE ON THE GND. OF COURSE, I COULD HAVE ALSO RECEIVED VECTORING ASSISTANCE IF NEEDED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL MAKE MORE USE OF ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING, NOT JUST FOR TA'S IN CONGESTED AIRSPACE.

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.