Instructor and student pilots suffer power loss and land safely in soft field. Carburetor ice is sus...

Attributes
ACN	776008
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	776008
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Just began the descent from 3500 ft; VMC; sky clear; engine started running rough. In about 10 seconds engine shut down with consequent propeller stop. Carried out all procedures for engine emergency during flight and began a glide descent towards airport. Tried to restart twice as procedure mentions but starter wasn't engaging so I decided to secure definitely the plane for an engine off landing. Because of wind drift we couldn't reach the runway and for my student's and my safety I choose an empty field close to us for a soft off-field landing. No injuries nor aircraft damages. Talking with mechanic the same day was told probably the cause of the shutdown was severe carburetor ice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLTS SUFFER POWER LOSS AND LAND SAFELY IN SOFT FIELD. CARBURETOR ICE IS SUSPECTED.

Narrative: JUST BEGAN THE DSCNT FROM 3500 FT; VMC; SKY CLR; ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. IN ABOUT 10 SECONDS ENG SHUT DOWN WITH CONSEQUENT PROP STOP. CARRIED OUT ALL PROCS FOR ENG EMER DURING FLT AND BEGAN A GLIDE DSCNT TOWARDS ARPT. TRIED TO RESTART TWICE AS PROC MENTIONS BUT STARTER WASN'T ENGAGING SO I DECIDED TO SECURE DEFINITELY THE PLANE FOR AN ENG OFF LNDG. BECAUSE OF WIND DRIFT WE COULDN'T REACH THE RWY AND FOR MY STUDENT'S AND MY SAFETY I CHOOSE AN EMPTY FIELD CLOSE TO US FOR A SOFT OFF-FIELD LNDG. NO INJURIES NOR ACFT DAMAGES. TALKING WITH MECH THE SAME DAY WAS TOLD PROBABLY THE CAUSE OF THE SHUTDOWN WAS SEVERE CARB ICE.

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.

Instructor and student pilots suffer power loss and land safely in soft field. Carburetor ice is suspected.