Narrative:

Departing balance en route to ipj on V143 (IFR training). 30 mins out we began picking up light rime ice on the leading edge. (Pitot heat on.) a few mins later I noticed the vsi indicate 1000 ft loss then level back, this was followed by the altimeter showing a rapid descent of 300 ft then return to normal as quickly (plane was in level flight). Around 50-55 mins out the landing gear extended (instructor was flying at this time) causing the nose to rise, instructor pushed it over and reduced power while I began to figure out what was happening. After fighting to gain control in unusual attitudes while descending from 6000 ft MSL while talking to center (instructor had communication as well at this time). Center was intent on us climbing to 8000 ft MSL due to 5200 ft terrain and other reasons they never said. At 3500 ft I had a visual on ground and told the instructor to shoot for the hole and not to lose sight of the ground (level at 2500 ft). At this time, I had the communication, center could no longer reach us due to mountainous terrain so all further communications were relayed via a pilot overhead at 8000 ft MSL. I requested the nearest airport and was given 2 or 3, the closest was 4 NM, this would require a climb from 2500 ft MSL to 5500 ft MSL. Given the facts that it was starting to get dark, our instruments had been tumbled and my belief that we still carried ice, I began looking at all our options. I spotted a clear, but wet field approximately 2000 ft in length. We overflew it to further examination its condition, it looked good. I radioed the pilot at 8000 ft MSL and gave him our fix (270 degrees from linden VOR) and indicated that we were going to land off field. At this time the instructor asked me to take the controls. I instructed everyone to tighten their belts, slide seats back, propeller door open, and get something to hold in front of them. I asked the instructor to add flaps and pull the mixture lean on my mark. On downwind, I told the pilot at 8000 ft MSL I would not radio again until we were down. I brought the plane on final over trees and a barn with a slight crosswind just above stall, touchdown was uneventful to a full stop, no injuries or damage. I radioed the pilot at 8000 ft MSL and gave him our current status and thanked him. I secured the plane and waited for auths.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR FLIES INTO ICING CONDITIONS AND IS UNABLE TO CLR SURROUNDING TERRAIN TO GET TO THE NEAREST ARPT. PLT MAKES A SAFE LNDG IN A FIELD.

Narrative: DEPARTING BAL ENRTE TO IPJ ON V143 (IFR TRAINING). 30 MINS OUT WE BEGAN PICKING UP LIGHT RIME ICE ON THE LEADING EDGE. (PITOT HEAT ON.) A FEW MINS LATER I NOTICED THE VSI INDICATE 1000 FT LOSS THEN LEVEL BACK, THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ALTIMETER SHOWING A RAPID DSCNT OF 300 FT THEN RETURN TO NORMAL AS QUICKLY (PLANE WAS IN LEVEL FLT). AROUND 50-55 MINS OUT THE LNDG GEAR EXTENDED (INSTRUCTOR WAS FLYING AT THIS TIME) CAUSING THE NOSE TO RISE, INSTRUCTOR PUSHED IT OVER AND REDUCED PWR WHILE I BEGAN TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AFTER FIGHTING TO GAIN CTL IN UNUSUAL ATTITUDES WHILE DSNDING FROM 6000 FT MSL WHILE TALKING TO CTR (INSTRUCTOR HAD COM AS WELL AT THIS TIME). CTR WAS INTENT ON US CLBING TO 8000 FT MSL DUE TO 5200 FT TERRAIN AND OTHER REASONS THEY NEVER SAID. AT 3500 FT I HAD A VISUAL ON GND AND TOLD THE INSTRUCTOR TO SHOOT FOR THE HOLE AND NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE GND (LEVEL AT 2500 FT). AT THIS TIME, I HAD THE COM, CTR COULD NO LONGER REACH US DUE TO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN SO ALL FURTHER COMS WERE RELAYED VIA A PLT OVERHEAD AT 8000 FT MSL. I REQUESTED THE NEAREST ARPT AND WAS GIVEN 2 OR 3, THE CLOSEST WAS 4 NM, THIS WOULD REQUIRE A CLB FROM 2500 FT MSL TO 5500 FT MSL. GIVEN THE FACTS THAT IT WAS STARTING TO GET DARK, OUR INSTS HAD BEEN TUMBLED AND MY BELIEF THAT WE STILL CARRIED ICE, I BEGAN LOOKING AT ALL OUR OPTIONS. I SPOTTED A CLR, BUT WET FIELD APPROX 2000 FT IN LENGTH. WE OVERFLEW IT TO FURTHER EXAM ITS CONDITION, IT LOOKED GOOD. I RADIOED THE PLT AT 8000 FT MSL AND GAVE HIM OUR FIX (270 DEGS FROM LINDEN VOR) AND INDICATED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LAND OFF FIELD. AT THIS TIME THE INSTRUCTOR ASKED ME TO TAKE THE CTLS. I INSTRUCTED EVERYONE TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS, SLIDE SEATS BACK, PROP DOOR OPEN, AND GET SOMETHING TO HOLD IN FRONT OF THEM. I ASKED THE INSTRUCTOR TO ADD FLAPS AND PULL THE MIXTURE LEAN ON MY MARK. ON DOWNWIND, I TOLD THE PLT AT 8000 FT MSL I WOULD NOT RADIO AGAIN UNTIL WE WERE DOWN. I BROUGHT THE PLANE ON FINAL OVER TREES AND A BARN WITH A SLIGHT XWIND JUST ABOVE STALL, TOUCHDOWN WAS UNEVENTFUL TO A FULL STOP, NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. I RADIOED THE PLT AT 8000 FT MSL AND GAVE HIM OUR CURRENT STATUS AND THANKED HIM. I SECURED THE PLANE AND WAITED FOR AUTHS.

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.