When the power dropped precipitously as they were crossing a bay near their departure airport the in...

Attributes
ACN	1219275
Time
Date	201411
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Engine
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 130 Flight Crew Total 380 Flight Crew Type 80
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Event / Encounter Object Inflight Event / Encounter Object

Narrative:

Just took off...reached 2500 feet and leveled off. Around half way or 3/4 way over [the adjacent] bay my engine rpm decreased from 2200rpm to 1300rpm. I took controls from students and pitch for vg. I searched for a field across the bay. I could easily make it to land but there were only trees on the shore. So I turned heading south to line up with the coast and got as close to shore as possible. I [advised] approach...and I squawked 7700. After my second restart the engine gave me 1800-2000rpm. If I pulled the throttle out an inch or less and push it back in for full throttle the engine would give me 2000-2100rpm. So I consistently was pulling the throttle out an inch and pushing it back in. I made a quick decision to aim for a field that I believed I could make. I headed to the field. I came to the realization I was going to fall short. I deployed my first notch of flaps; 10 degrees to create more lift. As I approached the field I deployed my second notch; 25 degrees. Around 800 ft msl the engine rpm fell to 1300rpm. I knew I had the field made and deployed 3rd notch; 40degrees. I landed on the field and ran through a barbed wire fence. We came to a complete stop just after the fence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: When the power dropped precipitously as they were crossing a bay near their departure airport the instructor and student pilots aboard a PA-28 established best glide speed and nursed the aircraft to a safe landing in a field where their rollout was arrested by a barbed wire fence.

Narrative: Just took off...reached 2500 feet and leveled off. Around half way or 3/4 way over [the adjacent] Bay my engine rpm decreased from 2200rpm to 1300rpm. I took controls from students and pitch for Vg. I searched for a field across the bay. I could easily make it to land but there were only trees on the shore. So I turned heading south to line up with the coast and got as close to shore as possible. I [advised] Approach...and I squawked 7700. After my second restart the engine gave me 1800-2000rpm. If I pulled the throttle out an inch or less and push it back in for full throttle the engine would give me 2000-2100rpm. So I consistently was pulling the throttle out an inch and pushing it back in. I made a quick decision to aim for a field that I believed I could make. I headed to the field. I came to the realization I was going to fall short. I deployed my first notch of flaps; 10 degrees to create more lift. As I approached the field I deployed my second notch; 25 degrees. Around 800 ft msl the engine rpm fell to 1300rpm. I knew I had the field made and deployed 3rd notch; 40degrees. I landed on the field and ran through a barbed wire fence. We came to a complete stop just after the fence.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.