Flight instructor, with a student pilot, in a piper PA28, was forced to make an off airport landing ...

Attributes
ACN	456748
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gcc.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 860 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	456748
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine ignition switch other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Regarding the occurrence dated dec/xa/99, this is my account as I recall. Approximately 45 mins after takeoff in small aircraft with student pilot in the left seat and I in the right, I decided to simulate an emergency approach and landing due to the loss of power. Loss of engine power was simulated by bringing the throttle control to the idle position. Student established a glide at 85 mph and made the decision to land approximately 20 mi south of gillette on the bishop road. He then promptly went through the emergency restart procedures. As he came to the ignition portion of the procedure, I explained to him that there was a remote chance of an ignition switch or magneto failure that might possibly be solved by cycling the ignition switch to the right or left position. I tried to demonstrate this to student but in the process of switching the ignition to the right position, I inadvertently switched the ignition to the off position. Realizing what I had done, I immediately tried to turn the switch back to the on position, but was unable to due to ignition switch failure. We then continued the descent to landing while trying to mend the situation. Unable to get the ignition switch to move from the off position, I secured the engine and landed safely in field approximately 20 mi southeast of gillette, wy. There were no injuries to persons and no damage to plane or property.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR, WITH A STUDENT PLT, IN A PIPER PA28, WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF ARPT LNDG IN AN OPEN FIELD 20 MI FROM THE ARPT WHEN AFTER SIMULATING AN ENG FAILURE THE MAGNETO SWITCH FAILED IN THE OFF POS.

Narrative: REGARDING THE OCCURRENCE DATED DEC/XA/99, THIS IS MY ACCOUNT AS I RECALL. APPROX 45 MINS AFTER TKOF IN SMA WITH STUDENT PLT IN THE L SEAT AND I IN THE R, I DECIDED TO SIMULATE AN EMER APCH AND LNDG DUE TO THE LOSS OF PWR. LOSS OF ENG PWR WAS SIMULATED BY BRINGING THE THROTTLE CTL TO THE IDLE POS. STUDENT ESTABLISHED A GLIDE AT 85 MPH AND MADE THE DECISION TO LAND APPROX 20 MI S OF GILLETTE ON THE BISHOP ROAD. HE THEN PROMPTLY WENT THROUGH THE EMER RESTART PROCS. AS HE CAME TO THE IGNITION PORTION OF THE PROC, I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THERE WAS A REMOTE CHANCE OF AN IGNITION SWITCH OR MAGNETO FAILURE THAT MIGHT POSSIBLY BE SOLVED BY CYCLING THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE R OR L POS. I TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE THIS TO STUDENT BUT IN THE PROCESS OF SWITCHING THE IGNITION TO THE R POS, I INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POS. REALIZING WHAT I HAD DONE, I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO TURN THE SWITCH BACK TO THE ON POS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. WE THEN CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO LNDG WHILE TRYING TO MEND THE SIT. UNABLE TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH TO MOVE FROM THE OFF POS, I SECURED THE ENG AND LANDED SAFELY IN FIELD APPROX 20 MI SE OF GILLETTE, WY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PERSONS AND NO DAMAGE TO PLANE OR PROPERTY.

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.

Flight instructor, with a student pilot, in a piper PA28, was forced to make an off airport landing in an open field 20 mi from the airport when after simulating an engine failure the magneto switch failed in the off position.