Narrative:

During instructor demonstration of emergency landing simulation to a plowed agricultural field on the north side of highway 132 and just west of the san joaquin river, I turned final to the target field and noticed a vehicle and fisherman on west bank of river. I proceeded a little farther toward field and began go around at 300 ft AGL and about 300-400 ft to side of fisherman/vehicle. In setting up the emergency approach, and in the course of talking to the student and explaining about glide speed, field selection, approach, troubleshoot procedures, etc, I thought I had selected a 'clean' target field. I was focused on approach to the target landing area and did not notice vehicle near the river. We then proceeded farther west and simulated engine failure for student at 1300 ft AGL. Student responded appropriately by trimming for best glide and started a left turn and announced she had a field to the left. With the left wing down, until we finished the base turn, I could not see a house adjacent to the nearby field. I instructed to adjust course so final would remain well off to side of farm house (approximately 500 ft) and immediately called for go around upon rolling final at 500 ft. Student allowed descent to continue somewhat (to about 300 ft AGL) as go around commenced and excess flaps retracted. I believe we remained well beyond 500 ft from any vehicles, vessels, persons, structures, but probably should have called for go around a bit sooner, immediately after spotting proximity of nearby house. Was preoccupied with coaching student and observing how well turn to final was executed. Contributing factors: possibly CFI failure to thoroughly scrutinize area surrounding target field from altitude and during descent, although I honestly don't think the angles and view lines would have allowed me to spot this vehicle and fisherman in advance without direct overflt and circling. CFI desire to make demonstration as realistic as possible by closing throttle without a preselected landing site. CFI failure to allow buffer for student's continued loss of altitude while initiating go around.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 INSTRUCTOR DSNDED CLOSER THAN 500 FT TO PERSON AND PROPERTY DURING STUDENT FORCED LNDG PRACTICE.

Narrative: DURING INSTRUCTOR DEMONSTRATION OF EMER LNDG SIMULATION TO A PLOWED AGRICULTURAL FIELD ON THE N SIDE OF HWY 132 AND JUST W OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER, I TURNED FINAL TO THE TARGET FIELD AND NOTICED A VEHICLE AND FISHERMAN ON W BANK OF RIVER. I PROCEEDED A LITTLE FARTHER TOWARD FIELD AND BEGAN GAR AT 300 FT AGL AND ABOUT 300-400 FT TO SIDE OF FISHERMAN/VEHICLE. IN SETTING UP THE EMER APCH, AND IN THE COURSE OF TALKING TO THE STUDENT AND EXPLAINING ABOUT GLIDE SPD, FIELD SELECTION, APCH, TROUBLESHOOT PROCS, ETC, I THOUGHT I HAD SELECTED A 'CLEAN' TARGET FIELD. I WAS FOCUSED ON APCH TO THE TARGET LNDG AREA AND DID NOT NOTICE VEHICLE NEAR THE RIVER. WE THEN PROCEEDED FARTHER W AND SIMULATED ENG FAILURE FOR STUDENT AT 1300 FT AGL. STUDENT RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY BY TRIMMING FOR BEST GLIDE AND STARTED A L TURN AND ANNOUNCED SHE HAD A FIELD TO THE L. WITH THE L WING DOWN, UNTIL WE FINISHED THE BASE TURN, I COULD NOT SEE A HOUSE ADJACENT TO THE NEARBY FIELD. I INSTRUCTED TO ADJUST COURSE SO FINAL WOULD REMAIN WELL OFF TO SIDE OF FARM HOUSE (APPROX 500 FT) AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR GAR UPON ROLLING FINAL AT 500 FT. STUDENT ALLOWED DSCNT TO CONTINUE SOMEWHAT (TO ABOUT 300 FT AGL) AS GAR COMMENCED AND EXCESS FLAPS RETRACTED. I BELIEVE WE REMAINED WELL BEYOND 500 FT FROM ANY VEHICLES, VESSELS, PERSONS, STRUCTURES, BUT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CALLED FOR GAR A BIT SOONER, IMMEDIATELY AFTER SPOTTING PROX OF NEARBY HOUSE. WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH COACHING STUDENT AND OBSERVING HOW WELL TURN TO FINAL WAS EXECUTED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: POSSIBLY CFI FAILURE TO THOROUGHLY SCRUTINIZE AREA SURROUNDING TARGET FIELD FROM ALT AND DURING DSCNT, ALTHOUGH I HONESTLY DON'T THINK THE ANGLES AND VIEW LINES WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ME TO SPOT THIS VEHICLE AND FISHERMAN IN ADVANCE WITHOUT DIRECT OVERFLT AND CIRCLING. CFI DESIRE TO MAKE DEMONSTRATION AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE BY CLOSING THROTTLE WITHOUT A PRESELECTED LNDG SITE. CFI FAILURE TO ALLOW BUFFER FOR STUDENT'S CONTINUED LOSS OF ALT WHILE INITIATING GAR.

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.