PA23 flight crew attempts single engine takeoff and makes an off field landing.

Attributes
ACN	564813
Time
Date	200211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x51.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 95
ASRS Report	564813
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical excursion : runway ground encounters : gear up landing non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was at X51 on an IFR flight with a student. When we got ready to leave, we could not get the left engine running (had problems starting left engine, right magneto was bad, thought we could burn it off). So after running the right side to keep battery charged, the student went out and pulled cowling off to see if there was something he could see visually. Put cowling back on. While we were waiting for the starter to cool down, I taxied to runway 18 and did a high speed taxi to see what would happen. Well, the plane was airborne at 85 mph, yawed 30 degrees left. I established bank up on dead engine and rudder in, and the student pumped up the gear. Could not hold altitude, pwred back and landed safely in a bean field. No injuries, minor damage to cowling, right propeller strike with idle power. Don't leave home with a bad magneto and do foolish things. Go get the phone and call someone. Think safety first, lesson learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23 FLC ATTEMPTS SINGLE ENG TKOF AND MAKES AN OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS AT X51 ON AN IFR FLT WITH A STUDENT. WHEN WE GOT READY TO LEAVE, WE COULD NOT GET THE L ENG RUNNING (HAD PROBS STARTING L ENG, R MAGNETO WAS BAD, THOUGHT WE COULD BURN IT OFF). SO AFTER RUNNING THE R SIDE TO KEEP BATTERY CHARGED, THE STUDENT WENT OUT AND PULLED COWLING OFF TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING HE COULD SEE VISUALLY. PUT COWLING BACK ON. WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR THE STARTER TO COOL DOWN, I TAXIED TO RWY 18 AND DID A HIGH SPD TAXI TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. WELL, THE PLANE WAS AIRBORNE AT 85 MPH, YAWED 30 DEGS L. I ESTABLISHED BANK UP ON DEAD ENG AND RUDDER IN, AND THE STUDENT PUMPED UP THE GEAR. COULD NOT HOLD ALT, PWRED BACK AND LANDED SAFELY IN A BEAN FIELD. NO INJURIES, MINOR DAMAGE TO COWLING, R PROP STRIKE WITH IDLE PWR. DON'T LEAVE HOME WITH A BAD MAGNETO AND DO FOOLISH THINGS. GO GET THE PHONE AND CALL SOMEONE. THINK SAFETY FIRST, LESSON LEARNED.

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.