A PA28 pilot, in cruise at 1800 ft, experienced a loss of engine power, requiring an emergency landi...

Attributes
ACN	543509
Time
Date	200204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3tr.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Piper Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22.6 flight time total : 393.6 flight time type : 290.0
ASRS Report	543509
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Was at 1800 ft MSL at cruise power of 2400 RPM when engine started running rough, then went through checking carburetor heat, changed fuel tanks, checked oil temperature/pressure -- all ok. But started getting rougher. RPM dropped to 1500 RPM. Checked primer in and secure. Started losing altitude. I knew I wouldn't make south bend or elichant airports. I found a larger cut down corn field and did a soft field emergency landing. I felt it was better to put it down in a controled environment with some power. Only could maintain 1200-1400 RPM at this time. The landing was successful, with no damage to the aircraft or my 1 passenger (my 8 yr old granddaughter) or the field I set it down in. At this time, I've been trying to figure out what I could have done to prevent this incident. As I did a preflight, and full engine check, had full power at takeoff. The incident occurred approximately 30-35 mins after departing niles, mt (3TK). The plane was annualed in aug/01. Had approximately 44 hours since annual. It has been determined #3 cylinder had a broken exhaust valve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT, IN CRUISE AT 1800 FT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENG PWR, REQUIRING AN EMER LNDG IN A FIELD.

Narrative: WAS AT 1800 FT MSL AT CRUISE PWR OF 2400 RPM WHEN ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, THEN WENT THROUGH CHKING CARB HEAT, CHANGED FUEL TANKS, CHKED OIL TEMP/PRESSURE -- ALL OK. BUT STARTED GETTING ROUGHER. RPM DROPPED TO 1500 RPM. CHKED PRIMER IN AND SECURE. STARTED LOSING ALT. I KNEW I WOULDN'T MAKE SOUTH BEND OR ELICHANT ARPTS. I FOUND A LARGER CUT DOWN CORN FIELD AND DID A SOFT FIELD EMER LNDG. I FELT IT WAS BETTER TO PUT IT DOWN IN A CTLED ENVIRONMENT WITH SOME PWR. ONLY COULD MAINTAIN 1200-1400 RPM AT THIS TIME. THE LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL, WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR MY 1 PAX (MY 8 YR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER) OR THE FIELD I SET IT DOWN IN. AT THIS TIME, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS INCIDENT. AS I DID A PREFLT, AND FULL ENG CHK, HAD FULL PWR AT TKOF. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED APPROX 30-35 MINS AFTER DEPARTING NILES, MT (3TK). THE PLANE WAS ANNUALED IN AUG/01. HAD APPROX 44 HRS SINCE ANNUAL. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED #3 CYLINDER HAD A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE.

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.

A PA28 pilot, in cruise at 1800 ft, experienced a loss of engine power, requiring an emergency landing in a field.