A C120 experienced an engine failure after takeoff and landed on highway.

Attributes
ACN	705486
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 8550
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 120
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 188 flight time type : 11
ASRS Report	705486
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About XA00 when we left; VMC prevailed. We climbed out to 8500 ft MSL. All aircraft gauges seemed to be ok. We left with flight following. About 15 mins into the flight our aircraft stopped climbing. Our route was to follow highway to ZZZ1. There was no room to turn back. The ground elevation was rising and airspeed was dropping. I moved the aircraft and positioned it over highway. I told my friend with me that I can't turn and must set it down. The aircraft touched down perfectly. As it slowed I pulled the aircraft to the center divide and called 911. Both of us were scared; but did our best and made the best choice possible. Police escorted us to ZZZ1 airport and we noticed oil on our cowl. It seems our engine lost some oil.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C120 EXPERIENCED AN ENG FAILURE AFTER TKOF AND LANDED ON HWY.

Narrative: ABOUT XA00 WHEN WE LEFT; VMC PREVAILED. WE CLBED OUT TO 8500 FT MSL. ALL ACFT GAUGES SEEMED TO BE OK. WE LEFT WITH FLT FOLLOWING. ABOUT 15 MINS INTO THE FLT OUR ACFT STOPPED CLBING. OUR RTE WAS TO FOLLOW HWY TO ZZZ1. THERE WAS NO ROOM TO TURN BACK. THE GND ELEVATION WAS RISING AND AIRSPD WAS DROPPING. I MOVED THE ACFT AND POSITIONED IT OVER HWY. I TOLD MY FRIEND WITH ME THAT I CAN'T TURN AND MUST SET IT DOWN. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN PERFECTLY. AS IT SLOWED I PULLED THE ACFT TO THE CTR DIVIDE AND CALLED 911. BOTH OF US WERE SCARED; BUT DID OUR BEST AND MADE THE BEST CHOICE POSSIBLE. POLICE ESCORTED US TO ZZZ1 ARPT AND WE NOTICED OIL ON OUR COWL. IT SEEMS OUR ENG LOST SOME OIL.

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.