Small aircraft lands in a pasture after a cylinder head fails.

Attributes
ACN	237069
Time
Date	199303
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iwa
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 385
ASRS Report	237069
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	237096
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While cruising there was a loud 'bang' from the engine compartment whereby the entire aircraft started vibrating. I was in contact with phx approach and declared an emergency and requested vectors to the nearest airport. I squawked 7700 and was given vectors to williams AFB. It became obvious that we would not make it to williams. I asked my right seated passenger to take over with the landing. Being PIC I deferred to a more experienced pilot who holds a CFI and cfii who landed the plane uneventfully in a cow pasture that was approximately 4000 ft long. Phx approach notified the sheriff's office at pinal county who picked us up via helicopter shortly after. Supplemental information from acn 237096: the next day the sheriff escorted us to the landing site behind a locked gate. We were accompanied by an a&P mechanic and the adjuster for the insurance company who brought along an airplane dismantler with his transporter trailer. The mechanic, after carefully inspecting the engine and the field, recommended replacing the cylinder (which had a head separation) in the field and flying the airplane to falcon field for further evaluation. The adjuster recommended removal of the wings and transporting by truck. The mechanic's recommendation seemed more reasonable and his advice was followed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LANDS IN A PASTURE AFTER A CYLINDER HEAD FAILS.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING THERE WAS A LOUD 'BANG' FROM THE ENG COMPARTMENT WHEREBY THE ENTIRE ACFT STARTED VIBRATING. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH PHX APCH AND DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. I SQUAWKED 7700 AND WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO WILLIAMS AFB. IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO WILLIAMS. I ASKED MY R SEATED PAX TO TAKE OVER WITH THE LNDG. BEING PIC I DEFERRED TO A MORE EXPERIENCED PLT WHO HOLDS A CFI AND CFII WHO LANDED THE PLANE UNEVENTFULLY IN A COW PASTURE THAT WAS APPROX 4000 FT LONG. PHX APCH NOTIFIED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AT PINAL COUNTY WHO PICKED US UP VIA HELI SHORTLY AFTER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 237096: THE NEXT DAY THE SHERIFF ESCORTED US TO THE LNDG SITE BEHIND A LOCKED GATE. WE WERE ACCOMPANIED BY AN A&P MECH AND THE ADJUSTER FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHO BROUGHT ALONG AN AIRPLANE DISMANTLER WITH HIS TRANSPORTER TRAILER. THE MECH, AFTER CAREFULLY INSPECTING THE ENG AND THE FIELD, RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE CYLINDER (WHICH HAD A HEAD SEPARATION) IN THE FIELD AND FLYING THE AIRPLANE TO FALCON FIELD FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. THE ADJUSTER RECOMMENDED REMOVAL OF THE WINGS AND TRANSPORTING BY TRUCK. THE MECH'S RECOMMENDATION SEEMED MORE REASONABLE AND HIS ADVICE WAS FOLLOWED.

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.