20020626016149A

(-23) While enroute to so dakota from valparaiso, IN, at approximately 3000 ft, the engine produced a loud bang, the upper cowl blew open, followed by fire and smoke. An emergency landing was successfully accomplished in a bean field, 300 yards short of staten landing strip, 0.5 miles west of hiway 251, parallel to perry road. The right main landing gear strut wrinkled and tore the upper wing surface in the vicinity of the main spar as a result of the landing. The right rear cylinder of the engine had departed the aircraft, fuel and oil began burning as a result of the hot exhaust. After landing the pilot extinguished the fire using the on board fire extinguisher. (.19) on June 26, 2002, at 1330 central daylight time (CDT), a Piper PA-28R-200, N76SA, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Steward, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, reported no injuries. The flight originated from porter county municipal airport (vpz), valparaiso, Indiana, at 1215 CDT, and had the intended destination of chamberland municipal airport (9V9), chamberland, south dakota. According to the pilot's written statement, while in cruise flight at 3,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) the engine, "... Shuttered then evened out. About 10 seconds later developed serious vibration." The pilot reported that he decided to divert to a nearby airport and began to climb. The pilot stated, "at 3,500 feet engine ejected right rear cylinder head. Cowling stayed hinged on left. Oil spray on windshield and fire on lower right of firewall." The pilot reported that he shut down the engine and, "tried to make staton airport but had forced landing in bean field. Damaged right wing in forced landing."