Narrative:

I was completing a climb to about 2500 ft AGL when a failure in the #2 cylinder (exact cause not yet known) resulted in a loss of power and severe vibration. I reduced power to control the vibration, communicated on the unicom frequency (I had not changed it) that I was losing power and intended to make an emergency landing in a field, and began to set up for the landing. Several good fields were nearby below me, so gliding range was not an issue. Because of the distrs of communications (responding to several inquiries to confirm position) and the vibration, I did not monitor airspeed as closely as I should have, and turned final to my chosen field early in an effort not to be short. As I entered the field, I realized I was too high (and probably too fast), and with trees at the far end, I elected to turn (approximately 150 degrees) into an adjacent field. Fortunately, I had sufficient energy and altitude to complete the turn and was well positioned for what became an uneventful landing in a pasture. I was unhurt and the aircraft was not damaged in the landing. Even though the outcome was favorable, there are several things I wish I had done better: 1) minimize communications and focus on the task, 2) establish and maintain best glide speed, and 3) nearing the ground, focus on establishing the proper altitude and distance from the field when at the 'key position.' the vibration was a significant distraction that the typical engine-out practice with an instructor doesn't prepare you for. I'm happy to report a favorable outcome and glad that I'm here to tell the story! (Note: when we took off the cowl, we found a baseball-sized hole in the crank case opposite #2 cylinder -- the decision to accept a forced landing was a good one.)

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT OF C182 EXPERIENCES ENG FAILURE DURING VFR PLEASURE FLT. MANAGES A FORCED LNDG IN AN UNPREPARED FIELD WITH REASONABLE FACILITY.

Narrative: I WAS COMPLETING A CLB TO ABOUT 2500 FT AGL WHEN A FAILURE IN THE #2 CYLINDER (EXACT CAUSE NOT YET KNOWN) RESULTED IN A LOSS OF PWR AND SEVERE VIBRATION. I REDUCED PWR TO CTL THE VIBRATION, COMMUNICATED ON THE UNICOM FREQ (I HAD NOT CHANGED IT) THAT I WAS LOSING PWR AND INTENDED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN A FIELD, AND BEGAN TO SET UP FOR THE LNDG. SEVERAL GOOD FIELDS WERE NEARBY BELOW ME, SO GLIDING RANGE WAS NOT AN ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE DISTRS OF COMS (RESPONDING TO SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO CONFIRM POS) AND THE VIBRATION, I DID NOT MONITOR AIRSPD AS CLOSELY AS I SHOULD HAVE, AND TURNED FINAL TO MY CHOSEN FIELD EARLY IN AN EFFORT NOT TO BE SHORT. AS I ENTERED THE FIELD, I REALIZED I WAS TOO HIGH (AND PROBABLY TOO FAST), AND WITH TREES AT THE FAR END, I ELECTED TO TURN (APPROX 150 DEGS) INTO AN ADJACENT FIELD. FORTUNATELY, I HAD SUFFICIENT ENERGY AND ALT TO COMPLETE THE TURN AND WAS WELL POSITIONED FOR WHAT BECAME AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN A PASTURE. I WAS UNHURT AND THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED IN THE LNDG. EVEN THOUGH THE OUTCOME WAS FAVORABLE, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I WISH I HAD DONE BETTER: 1) MINIMIZE COMS AND FOCUS ON THE TASK, 2) ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN BEST GLIDE SPD, AND 3) NEARING THE GND, FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING THE PROPER ALT AND DISTANCE FROM THE FIELD WHEN AT THE 'KEY POS.' THE VIBRATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT DISTR THAT THE TYPICAL ENG-OUT PRACTICE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR DOESN'T PREPARE YOU FOR. I'M HAPPY TO RPT A FAVORABLE OUTCOME AND GLAD THAT I'M HERE TO TELL THE STORY! (NOTE: WHEN WE TOOK OFF THE COWL, WE FOUND A BASEBALL-SIZED HOLE IN THE CRANK CASE OPPOSITE #2 CYLINDER -- THE DECISION TO ACCEPT A FORCED LNDG WAS A GOOD ONE.)

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.