Pilot of an sel small aircraft was forced to make an off airport landing due to the engine losing po...

Attributes
ACN	416735
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : acb
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tvc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	416735
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Preflight complete, pass briefing departed tvc east with a direct route to gaylord. Without incident or problem, the craft climbed to 4500 ft MSL. Approximately 2-3 mins after going through 4700 ft to 5500 ft, the engine quickly lost RPM. I contacted tvc ATC and advised I had an engine failure and would be looking to land. After doing abc's in procedures (best airspeed 60 KTS, best landing field, try to restart), I was unable to restart engine. I prepared to land. I attempted to restart, check fuel shutoff, check throttle, check mixture, check ignition, check carburetor heat. After following these procedures, I had to make an off-airport emergency landing in a farmer's field. Pilot and passenger suffered no injuries. Aircraft suffered scratches. We left aircraft in field where it stopped. I believe a bag of candy sitting over fuel shutoff valve on floor between seats may have inadvertently shut off or restr flow in some way. However, fuel valve was on when checked during restart procedures. Cause has not been determined.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SEL SMA WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF ARPT LNDG DUE TO THE ENG LOSING PWR DURING CRUISE CLB. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT SKIN.

Narrative: PREFLT COMPLETE, PASS BRIEFING DEPARTED TVC E WITH A DIRECT RTE TO GAYLORD. WITHOUT INCIDENT OR PROB, THE CRAFT CLBED TO 4500 FT MSL. APPROX 2-3 MINS AFTER GOING THROUGH 4700 FT TO 5500 FT, THE ENG QUICKLY LOST RPM. I CONTACTED TVC ATC AND ADVISED I HAD AN ENG FAILURE AND WOULD BE LOOKING TO LAND. AFTER DOING ABC'S IN PROCS (BEST AIRSPD 60 KTS, BEST LNDG FIELD, TRY TO RESTART), I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ENG. I PREPARED TO LAND. I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART, CHK FUEL SHUTOFF, CHK THROTTLE, CHK MIXTURE, CHK IGNITION, CHK CARB HEAT. AFTER FOLLOWING THESE PROCS, I HAD TO MAKE AN OFF-ARPT EMER LNDG IN A FARMER'S FIELD. PLT AND PAX SUFFERED NO INJURIES. ACFT SUFFERED SCRATCHES. WE LEFT ACFT IN FIELD WHERE IT STOPPED. I BELIEVE A BAG OF CANDY SITTING OVER FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE ON FLOOR BTWN SEATS MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY SHUT OFF OR RESTR FLOW IN SOME WAY. HOWEVER, FUEL VALVE WAS ON WHEN CHKED DURING RESTART PROCS. CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.

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.

Pilot of an sel small aircraft was forced to make an off airport landing due to the engine losing power during cruise climb. There were no injuries and only minor damage to the aircraft skin.