Narrative:

While on a heading of due north at cruise speed, altitude 2500 ft MSL, the engine in my aircraft (a C152) began running roughly. At the time, I was approximately 8 mi southeast of lxt airport. I turned on the carburetor heat. However, the engine became rougher and lost RPM rapidly. About 30 seconds after the first indication of engine problems, the engine failed and it was elected to perform a forced landing off airport. I was able to land the aircraft safely in a plowed field. There were no injuries, and the aircraft sustained no structural damage. Prior to takeoff, I noted 5 quarts of oil in the engine during preflight inspection, and each fuel tank was approximately 3/4 full by visual inspection. A check of my instruments about 1 min prior to the engine failure showed normal oil pressure and oil temperature. Supplemental information from acn 493729: engine developed excessive vibrations, lost power, and was forced to land in a field east of lee's summit airport. The plane landed successfully without damage to the aircraft or injury to the pilot. The only damage resulted from the engine cylinder striking the left side of the cowling, when it separated from the engine. According to the student pilot, he performed the 'engine failure procedure' as instructed, thereby successfully and safely landing the aircraft. The student did a remarkable job in controling the aircraft and is commended for his 'cool handling' of this emergency. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: trainee was on his second solo flight. He was flying an FBO rental aircraft. An engine cylinder detached from the engine case. The instructor also filed a report even though he was not aboard at the time. The instructor did not know what kind of engine was in the aircraft.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 TRAINEE HAD ENG FAILURE NEAR LXT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A HDG OF DUE N AT CRUISE SPD, ALT 2500 FT MSL, THE ENG IN MY ACFT (A C152) BEGAN RUNNING ROUGHLY. AT THE TIME, I WAS APPROX 8 MI SE OF LXT ARPT. I TURNED ON THE CARB HEAT. HOWEVER, THE ENG BECAME ROUGHER AND LOST RPM RAPIDLY. ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER THE FIRST INDICATION OF ENG PROBS, THE ENG FAILED AND IT WAS ELECTED TO PERFORM A FORCED LNDG OFF ARPT. I WAS ABLE TO LAND THE ACFT SAFELY IN A PLOWED FIELD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND THE ACFT SUSTAINED NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. PRIOR TO TKOF, I NOTED 5 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENG DURING PREFLT INSPECTION, AND EACH FUEL TANK WAS APPROX 3/4 FULL BY VISUAL INSPECTION. A CHK OF MY INSTS ABOUT 1 MIN PRIOR TO THE ENG FAILURE SHOWED NORMAL OIL PRESSURE AND OIL TEMP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 493729: ENG DEVELOPED EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS, LOST PWR, AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD E OF LEE'S SUMMIT ARPT. THE PLANE LANDED SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR INJURY TO THE PLT. THE ONLY DAMAGE RESULTED FROM THE ENG CYLINDER STRIKING THE L SIDE OF THE COWLING, WHEN IT SEPARATED FROM THE ENG. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PLT, HE PERFORMED THE 'ENG FAILURE PROC' AS INSTRUCTED, THEREBY SUCCESSFULLY AND SAFELY LNDG THE ACFT. THE STUDENT DID A REMARKABLE JOB IN CTLING THE ACFT AND IS COMMENDED FOR HIS 'COOL HANDLING' OF THIS EMER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: TRAINEE WAS ON HIS SECOND SOLO FLT. HE WAS FLYING AN FBO RENTAL ACFT. AN ENG CYLINDER DETACHED FROM THE ENG CASE. THE INSTRUCTOR ALSO FILED A RPT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT ABOARD AT THE TIME. THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT KNOW WHAT KIND OF ENG WAS IN THE ACFT.

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.