Narrative:

The aircraft involved in this accident is a 1941 luscombe 8C. This aircraft had just been through an annual inspection and the engine had been extensively overhauled. The engine was a lycoming O235 and the aircraft was modified for this engine in compliance with the aircraft repair stc. After this aircraft was released apr/xa/00 for test flts, I flew within the traffic pattern and did 3 touch-and-goes at mlu airport. After these test hops, the mechanic visually inspected the engine, saw no oil leaks or any problems. He cleared me to take the airplane to an airstrip 8 mi from mlu. I took off and headed northwest to this airstrip. I got about 4 mi away from mlu and the engine shut down with no warning. The rapid way the engine failed and propeller rotation stopped, I perceived the engine had seized. I immediately decided to make an emergency landing in a field below that I felt I could land in with no hazard to anyone else. I declared an emergency to departure control and told them where I was landing. I glided to the field and was making the final turn to land when the plane stalled probably 4-5 ft from the ground. The field was clear of obstacles except for some large drain culverts stacked in the field for future subdivision development. The airplane was headed straight for these culverts when it stalled and I failed to avoid striking them. The landing gear and under part of the mid fuselage were severely damaged -- probably beyond repair. I stepped out of the wreck with no injuries! Some yrs ago, I installed shoulder harnesses which held me secure during the impact. I thank my lord and savior jesus christ for keeping me from harm!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LUSCOMBE 8C PVT PLT MAKES AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN HIS OVERHAULED ENG FAILS N OF MLU, LA.

Narrative: THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT IS A 1941 LUSCOMBE 8C. THIS ACFT HAD JUST BEEN THROUGH AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND THE ENG HAD BEEN EXTENSIVELY OVERHAULED. THE ENG WAS A LYCOMING O235 AND THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED FOR THIS ENG IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACFT REPAIR STC. AFTER THIS ACFT WAS RELEASED APR/XA/00 FOR TEST FLTS, I FLEW WITHIN THE TFC PATTERN AND DID 3 TOUCH-AND-GOES AT MLU ARPT. AFTER THESE TEST HOPS, THE MECH VISUALLY INSPECTED THE ENG, SAW NO OIL LEAKS OR ANY PROBS. HE CLRED ME TO TAKE THE AIRPLANE TO AN AIRSTRIP 8 MI FROM MLU. I TOOK OFF AND HEADED NW TO THIS AIRSTRIP. I GOT ABOUT 4 MI AWAY FROM MLU AND THE ENG SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. THE RAPID WAY THE ENG FAILED AND PROP ROTATION STOPPED, I PERCEIVED THE ENG HAD SEIZED. I IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN A FIELD BELOW THAT I FELT I COULD LAND IN WITH NO HAZARD TO ANYONE ELSE. I DECLARED AN EMER TO DEP CTL AND TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS LNDG. I GLIDED TO THE FIELD AND WAS MAKING THE FINAL TURN TO LAND WHEN THE PLANE STALLED PROBABLY 4-5 FT FROM THE GND. THE FIELD WAS CLR OF OBSTACLES EXCEPT FOR SOME LARGE DRAIN CULVERTS STACKED IN THE FIELD FOR FUTURE SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THESE CULVERTS WHEN IT STALLED AND I FAILED TO AVOID STRIKING THEM. THE LNDG GEAR AND UNDER PART OF THE MID FUSELAGE WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED -- PROBABLY BEYOND REPAIR. I STEPPED OUT OF THE WRECK WITH NO INJURIES! SOME YRS AGO, I INSTALLED SHOULDER HARNESSES WHICH HELD ME SECURE DURING THE IMPACT. I THANK MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST FOR KEEPING ME FROM HARM!

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.