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Small aircraft experimental pilot made an off airport forced landing after the engine crankshaft broke.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 544029 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ict.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Experimental |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 544029 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
An emergency off-field landing was conducted due to engine failure. Engine failure was due to a broken crankshaft. A low altitude VMC cruise was being conducted to avoid IFR vectors away from great circle route. Nearest airport was located using GPS database. At 15 NM and 2500 ft MSL, a decision was made to land in open field. Time did not allow for complete emergency checklist to be used. I think that the student pilot (passenger) could have helped me use the checklist, had I thought about it. Additionally, CRM training would have helped me. I could have had him radio 121.5, squawk 7700, activate ELT, but never got to it. Time from engine failure to land was approximately 2 mins. No injuries and minor damage to airframe, landing gear.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA EXPERIMENTAL PLT MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG CRANKSHAFT BROKE.
Narrative: AN EMER OFF-FIELD LNDG WAS CONDUCTED DUE TO ENG FAILURE. ENG FAILURE WAS DUE TO A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT. A LOW ALT VMC CRUISE WAS BEING CONDUCTED TO AVOID IFR VECTORS AWAY FROM GREAT CIRCLE RTE. NEAREST ARPT WAS LOCATED USING GPS DATABASE. AT 15 NM AND 2500 FT MSL, A DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND IN OPEN FIELD. TIME DID NOT ALLOW FOR COMPLETE EMER CHKLIST TO BE USED. I THINK THAT THE STUDENT PLT (PAX) COULD HAVE HELPED ME USE THE CHKLIST, HAD I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. ADDITIONALLY, CRM TRAINING WOULD HAVE HELPED ME. I COULD HAVE HAD HIM RADIO 121.5, SQUAWK 7700, ACTIVATE ELT, BUT NEVER GOT TO IT. TIME FROM ENG FAILURE TO LAND WAS APPROX 2 MINS. NO INJURIES AND MINOR DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME, LNDG GEAR.
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.