CFI and licensed pilot being checked out in a PA28 experience engine failure and land in an open fie...

Attributes
ACN	646853
Time
Date	200502
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	646853
Person 2
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	646463
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The purpose of the flight was to re-check out the pilot in this complex airplane. The pilot and instructor took off in VMC and proceeded to a local practice area about 15 mi west of the field. The pilot demonstrated 30 degree bank and 45 degree bank turns; slow flight; and power on and power off stalls. Then we returned to ZZZ to demonstrate lndgs after about 45 mins. We contacted ZZZ tower at 10 mi; then we performed the prelndg checklist by turning on the electric fuel pump; switched from the right fuel tank to the left; which was more full. Within a min; the engine began to sputter and the CFI in the right seat took control of the aircraft. The aircraft was at about 1500 ft and 125 mph with 22 inches of manifold pressure at the time. The descent rate increased to about 1000 FPM immediately. The CFI performed the emergency restart procedure several times after trimming for 105 mph. Then the right seat pilot switched the fuel selector back to the right fuel tank. The CFI performed the restart procedure a couple more times. When the engine failure was first suspected; the CFI and left seat pilot discussed options for landing in fields. A good option was available straight ahead. The CFI set up for landing in that pasture. The right seat pilot reported the situation to ZZZ tower when the problem was first noted. At about 300 ft he made a final report and mayday call. The CFI had the field successfully made; so he lowered landing gear; lowered flaps and saw 3 green lights indicating down and locked before 300 ft AGL. The CFI made a smooth soft field landing in the pasture. The right seat pilot applied the brakes and stopped the plane. After stopping in the pasture; the right seat pilot made a radio report to 'any relay aircraft' that the aircraft was safely on the ground with no injuries and no apparent damage to the aircraft. He then secured the cockpit by performing the shutdown checklist. A walkaround inspection confirmed no damage to the aircraft. We sumped the tanks and engine to visually check for fuel contamination. No evidence of water or any other contamination was seen. After 30 mins; the aircraft was successfully restarted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI AND LICENSED PLT BEING CHKED OUT IN A PA28 EXPERIENCE ENG FAILURE AND LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES.

Narrative: THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO RE-CHK OUT THE PLT IN THIS COMPLEX AIRPLANE. THE PLT AND INSTRUCTOR TOOK OFF IN VMC AND PROCEEDED TO A LCL PRACTICE AREA ABOUT 15 MI W OF THE FIELD. THE PLT DEMONSTRATED 30 DEG BANK AND 45 DEG BANK TURNS; SLOW FLT; AND PWR ON AND PWR OFF STALLS. THEN WE RETURNED TO ZZZ TO DEMONSTRATE LNDGS AFTER ABOUT 45 MINS. WE CONTACTED ZZZ TWR AT 10 MI; THEN WE PERFORMED THE PRELNDG CHKLIST BY TURNING ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP; SWITCHED FROM THE R FUEL TANK TO THE L; WHICH WAS MORE FULL. WITHIN A MIN; THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THE CFI IN THE R SEAT TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS AT ABOUT 1500 FT AND 125 MPH WITH 22 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AT THE TIME. THE DSCNT RATE INCREASED TO ABOUT 1000 FPM IMMEDIATELY. THE CFI PERFORMED THE EMER RESTART PROC SEVERAL TIMES AFTER TRIMMING FOR 105 MPH. THEN THE R SEAT PLT SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK TO THE R FUEL TANK. THE CFI PERFORMED THE RESTART PROC A COUPLE MORE TIMES. WHEN THE ENG FAILURE WAS FIRST SUSPECTED; THE CFI AND L SEAT PLT DISCUSSED OPTIONS FOR LNDG IN FIELDS. A GOOD OPTION WAS AVAILABLE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE CFI SET UP FOR LNDG IN THAT PASTURE. THE R SEAT PLT RPTED THE SIT TO ZZZ TWR WHEN THE PROB WAS FIRST NOTED. AT ABOUT 300 FT HE MADE A FINAL RPT AND MAYDAY CALL. THE CFI HAD THE FIELD SUCCESSFULLY MADE; SO HE LOWERED LNDG GEAR; LOWERED FLAPS AND SAW 3 GREEN LIGHTS INDICATING DOWN AND LOCKED BEFORE 300 FT AGL. THE CFI MADE A SMOOTH SOFT FIELD LNDG IN THE PASTURE. THE R SEAT PLT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND STOPPED THE PLANE. AFTER STOPPING IN THE PASTURE; THE R SEAT PLT MADE A RADIO RPT TO 'ANY RELAY ACFT' THAT THE ACFT WAS SAFELY ON THE GND WITH NO INJURIES AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. HE THEN SECURED THE COCKPIT BY PERFORMING THE SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. A WALKAROUND INSPECTION CONFIRMED NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WE SUMPED THE TANKS AND ENG TO VISUALLY CHK FOR FUEL CONTAMINATION. NO EVIDENCE OF WATER OR ANY OTHER CONTAMINATION WAS SEEN. AFTER 30 MINS; THE ACFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

CFI and licensed pilot being checked out in a PA28 experience engine failure and land in an open field. No damage or injuries.