Narrative:

Events began with a descent into low altitude flight (1000 ft AGL) in order to fly close to family outing south of topeka. This was at my family's farm in which was out in the country and I desired to drop a bag of candy out as a fun gesture. After 3 passes, I proceeded to turn for a 4TH and dropped to 500 ft AGL in order to make the drop. After the drop was made and all was clear, I proceeded to add full throttle to depart and to land at forbes field (foe). The adding of full throttle only produced a maximum 1800. I pulled carburetor heat, applied full mixture, full throttle, and checked magneto position. I was unsuccessful with power recovery and was then descending below 500 ft AGL. Power lines and trees became a big concern. I cleared power lines easily, but brushed the top of the trees. At this time, I knew a forced landing was needed. I proceeded to land in the nearest pasture, making a clean landing. Once I had completely stopped the airplane, I called forbes ATC to inform them of my location and good condition. After verification, I got out of the airplane and started a full inspection of the C152. Everything checked out and help had arrived at this time. The next morning, I had a strip cut in the pasture and proceeded to take off from the same field and flew to forbes, landed safely, and had a certified mechanic do a thorough check of the engine and structure. After cleaning plugs and pulling some grass out, the mechanic informed me that the aircraft was in normal condition and airworthy. I then flew the aircraft from forbes to salina, ks, without incident. I feel that the conditions leading up to the forced landing are now clrer. Even with temperatures over 85 degrees F, the high humidity and slower flight led to carburetor icing to occur. Application of carburetor heat occurred once the engine failure started to occur but without much altitude, there was no sufficient time for the ice to melt. Other options for the incident are possible, but no other causes have been found or realized.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 IN SLOW FLT AT 500 FT EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF PWR AND MAKES AN OFF ARPT LNDG CAUSED BY CARB ICING.

Narrative: EVENTS BEGAN WITH A DSCNT INTO LOW ALT FLT (1000 FT AGL) IN ORDER TO FLY CLOSE TO FAMILY OUTING S OF TOPEKA. THIS WAS AT MY FAMILY'S FARM IN WHICH WAS OUT IN THE COUNTRY AND I DESIRED TO DROP A BAG OF CANDY OUT AS A FUN GESTURE. AFTER 3 PASSES, I PROCEEDED TO TURN FOR A 4TH AND DROPPED TO 500 FT AGL IN ORDER TO MAKE THE DROP. AFTER THE DROP WAS MADE AND ALL WAS CLR, I PROCEEDED TO ADD FULL THROTTLE TO DEPART AND TO LAND AT FORBES FIELD (FOE). THE ADDING OF FULL THROTTLE ONLY PRODUCED A MAX 1800. I PULLED CARB HEAT, APPLIED FULL MIXTURE, FULL THROTTLE, AND CHKED MAGNETO POS. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL WITH PWR RECOVERY AND WAS THEN DSNDING BELOW 500 FT AGL. PWR LINES AND TREES BECAME A BIG CONCERN. I CLRED PWR LINES EASILY, BUT BRUSHED THE TOP OF THE TREES. AT THIS TIME, I KNEW A FORCED LNDG WAS NEEDED. I PROCEEDED TO LAND IN THE NEAREST PASTURE, MAKING A CLEAN LNDG. ONCE I HAD COMPLETELY STOPPED THE AIRPLANE, I CALLED FORBES ATC TO INFORM THEM OF MY LOCATION AND GOOD CONDITION. AFTER VERIFICATION, I GOT OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND STARTED A FULL INSPECTION OF THE C152. EVERYTHING CHKED OUT AND HELP HAD ARRIVED AT THIS TIME. THE NEXT MORNING, I HAD A STRIP CUT IN THE PASTURE AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF FROM THE SAME FIELD AND FLEW TO FORBES, LANDED SAFELY, AND HAD A CERTIFIED MECH DO A THOROUGH CHK OF THE ENG AND STRUCTURE. AFTER CLEANING PLUGS AND PULLING SOME GRASS OUT, THE MECH INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT WAS IN NORMAL CONDITION AND AIRWORTHY. I THEN FLEW THE ACFT FROM FORBES TO SALINA, KS, WITHOUT INCIDENT. I FEEL THAT THE CONDITIONS LEADING UP TO THE FORCED LNDG ARE NOW CLRER. EVEN WITH TEMPS OVER 85 DEGS F, THE HIGH HUMIDITY AND SLOWER FLT LED TO CARB ICING TO OCCUR. APPLICATION OF CARB HEAT OCCURRED ONCE THE ENG FAILURE STARTED TO OCCUR BUT WITHOUT MUCH ALT, THERE WAS NO SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE ICE TO MELT. OTHER OPTIONS FOR THE INCIDENT ARE POSSIBLE, BUT NO OTHER CAUSES HAVE BEEN FOUND OR REALIZED.

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.