Narrative:

En route from moline area (private strip) to daight, il, in 1941 aeronca. Approximately 20-30 mins after departure, engine developed an occasional miss. Shortly thereafter, oil began to appear on windshield. At that time we were approximately 10 mi west of lasalle/peru, il, airport and diverted to that field. As we continued toward the airport, the engine began to run rough an we were unable to maintain altitude 92500 ft MSL). I attempted to use carburetor heat but that was of no help. We were continuing to lose altitude and I felt that we would make it to the airport but approximately 3/4 mi from approach end of runway 36 the engine quit. I was approximately 400 ft AGL and knew that I would not make it to the airport, so I made a left 90 degree turn to cross over electrical wires paralleling my flight path and after crossing the wires, I made a 90 degree right turn to approximately 360 degree heading and slipped the aircraft into a bean field (which was muddy from a 3 inch rain the night before). The landing ws a full stall landing. Because of the mud, aircraft only rolled approximately 75-100 ft. The aircraft was not damaged, there were no injuries, and only minimal damage to a few rows of beans. The aircraft is to be examined this week to determine the cause of engine failure. Prior to departure, aircraft was topped off with fuel and oil was full. Annual had been performed in apr/01.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CFI FLYING HIS 1941 AERONCA HAS TO PERFORM AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG IN A BEAN FIELD WHEN THE ENG STOPS DUE TO AN OIL LEAK NEAR VYS, IL.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM MOLINE AREA (PVT STRIP) TO DAIGHT, IL, IN 1941 AERONCA. APPROX 20-30 MINS AFTER DEP, ENG DEVELOPED AN OCCASIONAL MISS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, OIL BEGAN TO APPEAR ON WINDSHIELD. AT THAT TIME WE WERE APPROX 10 MI W OF LASALLE/PERU, IL, ARPT AND DIVERTED TO THAT FIELD. AS WE CONTINUED TOWARD THE ARPT, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AN WE WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT 92500 FT MSL). I ATTEMPTED TO USE CARB HEAT BUT THAT WAS OF NO HELP. WE WERE CONTINUING TO LOSE ALT AND I FELT THAT WE WOULD MAKE IT TO THE ARPT BUT APPROX 3/4 MI FROM APCH END OF RWY 36 THE ENG QUIT. I WAS APPROX 400 FT AGL AND KNEW THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE ARPT, SO I MADE A L 90 DEG TURN TO CROSS OVER ELECTRICAL WIRES PARALLELING MY FLT PATH AND AFTER XING THE WIRES, I MADE A 90 DEG R TURN TO APPROX 360 DEG HDG AND SLIPPED THE ACFT INTO A BEAN FIELD (WHICH WAS MUDDY FROM A 3 INCH RAIN THE NIGHT BEFORE). THE LNDG WS A FULL STALL LNDG. BECAUSE OF THE MUD, ACFT ONLY ROLLED APPROX 75-100 FT. THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED, THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND ONLY MINIMAL DAMAGE TO A FEW ROWS OF BEANS. THE ACFT IS TO BE EXAMINED THIS WK TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF ENG FAILURE. PRIOR TO DEP, ACFT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL AND OIL WAS FULL. ANNUAL HAD BEEN PERFORMED IN APR/01.

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.