Narrative:

On descent to land at ZZZ in my C152; I experienced severe engine roughness developing about 5 mi from the airport. I immediately tried to troubleshoot the problem by activating the carburetor heat and setting the mixture to full rich. This helped restore power for a few moments. However; the engine roughness developed more severe symptoms. I experienced larger and larger power losses. At first I had planned on limping the plane back to ZZZ. However; as the engine kept losing more power; I decided to try and make an emergency landing in the largest field visible. The engine eventually cut out and I made a gliding descent into a large corn field. Upon touching down the plane bounced twice then flipped over as the nosewheel collapsed in the dirt. My passenger and I were luckily both unharmed. Upon exiting we noticed that we had a strong tailwind on approach. I feel that this problem could have been carburetor icing. However; I really am no expert. Earlier in the flight I felt a slight engine inconsistency that led me to turning on carburetor heat. I left it on for about 3 mins. The total flight time was approximately 30 mins. Visual conditions existed with good visibility and high ceilings. Though everything turned out well for me and the passenger; I feel there are a few things that could have made this situation turn out slightly better. I feel that a better proficiency in soft field lndgs would have helped this situation. This would have probably helped not FLIP the plane. Secondly; I feel that landing into the wind instead of with a tailwind would have dramatically affected the outcome. I feel the landing would have been much slower and controled. The tailwind provided momentum aiding in the nose-over. I should have known we were landing in a tailwind since I knew we took off to the west on departure. I think on the positive side maintaining a level head and sound decision making made this situation have a positive safe outcome for myself and the passenger. I think if I had tried to make ZZZ we would have ended up making a forced landing in a much worse place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT HAS AN OFF FIELD LNDG FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF ENG PWR.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO LAND AT ZZZ IN MY C152; I EXPERIENCED SEVERE ENG ROUGHNESS DEVELOPING ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE ARPT. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROB BY ACTIVATING THE CARB HEAT AND SETTING THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH. THIS HELPED RESTORE PWR FOR A FEW MOMENTS. HOWEVER; THE ENG ROUGHNESS DEVELOPED MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS. I EXPERIENCED LARGER AND LARGER PWR LOSSES. AT FIRST I HAD PLANNED ON LIMPING THE PLANE BACK TO ZZZ. HOWEVER; AS THE ENG KEPT LOSING MORE PWR; I DECIDED TO TRY AND MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN THE LARGEST FIELD VISIBLE. THE ENG EVENTUALLY CUT OUT AND I MADE A GLIDING DSCNT INTO A LARGE CORN FIELD. UPON TOUCHING DOWN THE PLANE BOUNCED TWICE THEN FLIPPED OVER AS THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED IN THE DIRT. MY PAX AND I WERE LUCKILY BOTH UNHARMED. UPON EXITING WE NOTICED THAT WE HAD A STRONG TAILWIND ON APCH. I FEEL THAT THIS PROB COULD HAVE BEEN CARB ICING. HOWEVER; I REALLY AM NO EXPERT. EARLIER IN THE FLT I FELT A SLIGHT ENG INCONSISTENCY THAT LED ME TO TURNING ON CARB HEAT. I LEFT IT ON FOR ABOUT 3 MINS. THE TOTAL FLT TIME WAS APPROX 30 MINS. VISUAL CONDITIONS EXISTED WITH GOOD VISIBILITY AND HIGH CEILINGS. THOUGH EVERYTHING TURNED OUT WELL FOR ME AND THE PAX; I FEEL THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT COULD HAVE MADE THIS SITUATION TURN OUT SLIGHTLY BETTER. I FEEL THAT A BETTER PROFICIENCY IN SOFT FIELD LNDGS WOULD HAVE HELPED THIS SITUATION. THIS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HELPED NOT FLIP THE PLANE. SECONDLY; I FEEL THAT LNDG INTO THE WIND INSTEAD OF WITH A TAILWIND WOULD HAVE DRAMATICALLY AFFECTED THE OUTCOME. I FEEL THE LNDG WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH SLOWER AND CTLED. THE TAILWIND PROVIDED MOMENTUM AIDING IN THE NOSE-OVER. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WE WERE LNDG IN A TAILWIND SINCE I KNEW WE TOOK OFF TO THE W ON DEP. I THINK ON THE POSITIVE SIDE MAINTAINING A LEVEL HEAD AND SOUND DECISION MAKING MADE THIS SITUATION HAVE A POSITIVE SAFE OUTCOME FOR MYSELF AND THE PAX. I THINK IF I HAD TRIED TO MAKE ZZZ WE WOULD HAVE ENDED UP MAKING A FORCED LNDG IN A MUCH WORSE PLACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.