A C150 lost power due to an internal engine failure. Night operation. Off airport landing on a 4 lan...

Attributes
ACN	338424
Time
Date	199606
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fod
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 965 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	338424
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route to FOD at night on training flight. While en route, a valve was pushed into one of the cylinders and power was lost. The engine ran rough for a few mins prior to my engine trouble and the carburetor heat was used to see if that would fix the problem. Shortly after, a loud bang was heard and the accompanying power loss was unmistakable. At full throttle and best glide, we were unable to hold altitude and began a descent at about 50-100 FPM. We continued until a road was spotted and we were sure no airport was within our range. The student flew the airplane until a few mins before we landed and managed to stay calm and effective. I was watching for power lines and towers until the road was spotted, then we traded jobs. The landing was perfect, no damage to persons or property. We were lucky to have found a 4 lane highway with no power lines. The engine otherwise has always run well and continued to do so until just a few mins prior to engine failure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 LOST PWR DUE TO AN INTERNAL ENG FAILURE. NIGHT OP. OFF ARPT LNDG ON A 4 LANE HWY.

Narrative: ENRTE TO FOD AT NIGHT ON TRAINING FLT. WHILE ENRTE, A VALVE WAS PUSHED INTO ONE OF THE CYLINDERS AND PWR WAS LOST. THE ENG RAN ROUGH FOR A FEW MINS PRIOR TO MY ENG TROUBLE AND THE CARB HEAT WAS USED TO SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THE PROB. SHORTLY AFTER, A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND THE ACCOMPANYING PWR LOSS WAS UNMISTAKABLE. AT FULL THROTTLE AND BEST GLIDE, WE WERE UNABLE TO HOLD ALT AND BEGAN A DSCNT AT ABOUT 50-100 FPM. WE CONTINUED UNTIL A ROAD WAS SPOTTED AND WE WERE SURE NO ARPT WAS WITHIN OUR RANGE. THE STUDENT FLEW THE AIRPLANE UNTIL A FEW MINS BEFORE WE LANDED AND MANAGED TO STAY CALM AND EFFECTIVE. I WAS WATCHING FOR PWR LINES AND TWRS UNTIL THE ROAD WAS SPOTTED, THEN WE TRADED JOBS. THE LNDG WAS PERFECT, NO DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND A 4 LANE HWY WITH NO PWR LINES. THE ENG OTHERWISE HAS ALWAYS RUN WELL AND CONTINUED TO DO SO UNTIL JUST A FEW MINS PRIOR TO ENG FAILURE.

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.

A C150 lost power due to an internal engine failure. Night operation. Off airport landing on a 4 lane highway.