<< >> NASA ASRS Report 339582, June 1996

Pilot of a piper J3 cub made an off airport forced landing after the engine failed during descent to land. Carburetor ice is suspected and inadequate carburetor heat to keep engine running. There was no injury or damage to the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	339582
Time
Date	199606
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : me60
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 451 flight time type : 325
ASRS Report	339582
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 3 mi from airport descending through 2500 ft AGL, lost engine power, carburetor heat restored full power for approximately 25 seconds. Lost power climbing to gain altitude after carburetor heat was removed. Chose a field for safest location to land, stopped propeller windmilling due to rapid altitude loss after it was obvious there would be no restart. Landed safely in a potato field (freshly planted). Upon landing, I checked fuel sample from gascolator and checked for contamination (none found). Had mechanic check plane over, added 5 gals fuel (precautionary) and flew from field to airport. High humidity in area at time of incident. Small wispy clouds going by at same altitude when engine quit at cruise power. (No damage or injuries sustained).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER J3 CUB MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG FAILED DURING DSCNT TO LAND. CARB ICE IS SUSPECTED AND INADEQUATE CARB HEAT TO KEEP ENG RUNNING. THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: APPROX 3 MI FROM ARPT DSNDING THROUGH 2500 FT AGL, LOST ENG PWR, CARB HEAT RESTORED FULL PWR FOR APPROX 25 SECONDS. LOST PWR CLBING TO GAIN ALT AFTER CARB HEAT WAS REMOVED. CHOSE A FIELD FOR SAFEST LOCATION TO LAND, STOPPED PROP WINDMILLING DUE TO RAPID ALT LOSS AFTER IT WAS OBVIOUS THERE WOULD BE NO RESTART. LANDED SAFELY IN A POTATO FIELD (FRESHLY PLANTED). UPON LNDG, I CHKED FUEL SAMPLE FROM GASCOLATOR AND CHKED FOR CONTAMINATION (NONE FOUND). HAD MECH CHK PLANE OVER, ADDED 5 GALS FUEL (PRECAUTIONARY) AND FLEW FROM FIELD TO ARPT. HIGH HUMIDITY IN AREA AT TIME OF INCIDENT. SMALL WISPY CLOUDS GOING BY AT SAME ALT WHEN ENG QUIT AT CRUISE PWR. (NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES SUSTAINED).

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.