Narrative:

I was flying to K78 abilene municipal airport and experienced sudden power loss. I was unable to maintain altitude. I corrected my heading to herrington airport, which was closest airport. At about 9 mi from herrington, I recognized I was unable to probably reach the airport. I attempted to contact ZKC. I was unable, but a passing aircraft relayed my message including altitude, n-number and problem. They told me to squawk XXXX which I did. I then idented a wheat field suitable for landing. I then made a precautionary landing. On the ground, I attempted to contact aircraft or center, but was unable. I then caught a ride to nearest law enforcement center in herrington to make report, and they notified all search and rescue and ZKC. No injuries or damage to airplane. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that engine did not fail but had severe power loss preventing him from reaching an airport. He was impressed with his training, which gave him the ability to choose a landing area that resulted in no damage to the aircraft. The aircraft was inspected to find a baffle related to the cockpit heater had come loose and lodged in the exhaust system blocking the exhaust and causing the power loss. Exhaust system was replaced and the aircraft flown out. Reporter states that his preflight now includes a thump on the exhaust to check for rattles and loose parts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER WARRIOR PLT EXPERIENCES PWR LOSS AND LANDS IN WHEAT FIELD IN KANSAS 8 MI SHORT OF DEST.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING TO K78 ABILENE MUNICIPAL ARPT AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN PWR LOSS. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. I CORRECTED MY HDG TO HERRINGTON ARPT, WHICH WAS CLOSEST ARPT. AT ABOUT 9 MI FROM HERRINGTON, I RECOGNIZED I WAS UNABLE TO PROBABLY REACH THE ARPT. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZKC. I WAS UNABLE, BUT A PASSING ACFT RELAYED MY MESSAGE INCLUDING ALT, N-NUMBER AND PROB. THEY TOLD ME TO SQUAWK XXXX WHICH I DID. I THEN IDENTED A WHEAT FIELD SUITABLE FOR LNDG. I THEN MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. ON THE GND, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ACFT OR CTR, BUT WAS UNABLE. I THEN CAUGHT A RIDE TO NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT CTR IN HERRINGTON TO MAKE RPT, AND THEY NOTIFIED ALL SEARCH AND RESCUE AND ZKC. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO AIRPLANE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT ENG DID NOT FAIL BUT HAD SEVERE PWR LOSS PREVENTING HIM FROM REACHING AN ARPT. HE WAS IMPRESSED WITH HIS TRAINING, WHICH GAVE HIM THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE A LNDG AREA THAT RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED TO FIND A BAFFLE RELATED TO THE COCKPIT HEATER HAD COME LOOSE AND LODGED IN THE EXHAUST SYS BLOCKING THE EXHAUST AND CAUSING THE PWR LOSS. EXHAUST SYS WAS REPLACED AND THE ACFT FLOWN OUT. RPTR STATES THAT HIS PREFLT NOW INCLUDES A THUMP ON THE EXHAUST TO CHK FOR RATTLES AND LOOSE PARTS.

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.