What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative from the pilot.
On 11/16/2024, during my flight from herlong (kheg) to deland (kded) in aircraft privacy data omitted, with one passenger on board.
Approximately 20 minutes after departure, I began noticing engine roughness. Initially, the roughness was minor, but it persisted and gradually worsened. In response, I followed the engine roughness checklist, but the issue remained unresolved. For a short period, the roughness subsided, providing a brief sense of relief. However, the roughness returned with much greater intensity, accompanied by significant engine vibrations.
The vibrations grew so severe that the engine cowling began to shake noticeably. I became concerned that the cowling screws were at risk of detaching. I started diverting my course towards palatka (28J) as the nearest airport. However, as the roughness continued and the engine’s performance deteriorated, I realized that the situation might lead to an engine failure, and that continuing towards palatka would cause me to lose essential fields beneath me.
I decided to stop heading towards the airport and instead circle around the fields under me, as I began losing power. Despite applying full throttle, the engine only produced about 1500 RPM. Simultaneously, smoke started entering the cabin, which further indicated a severe engine malfunction. Power continued to decrease until I lost power completely.
At that point, I declared an emergency on 121.5 mhz and squawked 7700. I then initiated the engine failure checklist. With the remaining altitude, I identified a suitable field below and executed a forced landing on a farm field. The landing was uneventful, and both my passenger and I were unharmed. Fortunately, there was no damage to the aircraft.
FAA inspectors, privacy data omitted conducted a visual inspection aircraft and found no external damage related to the event. The only indication was left side engine cowling was covered with engine oil.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE FROM THE PILOT.
ON 11/16/2024, DURING MY FLIGHT FROM HERLONG (KHEG) TO DELAND (KDED) IN AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WITH ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD.
APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, I BEGAN NOTICING ENGINE ROUGHNESS. INITIALLY, THE ROUGHNESS WAS MINOR, BUT IT PERSISTED AND GRADUALLY WORSENED. IN RESPONSE, I FOLLOWED THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS CHECKLIST, BUT THE ISSUE REMAINED UNRESOLVED. FOR A SHORT PERIOD, THE ROUGHNESS SUBSIDED, PROVIDING A BRIEF SENSE OF RELIEF. HOWEVER, THE ROUGHNESS RETURNED WITH MUCH GREATER INTENSITY, ACCOMPANIED BY SIGNIFICANT ENGINE VIBRATIONS.
THE VIBRATIONS GREW SO SEVERE THAT THE ENGINE COWLING BEGAN TO SHAKE NOTICEABLY. I BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE COWLING SCREWS WERE AT RISK OF DETACHING. I STARTED DIVERTING MY COURSE TOWARDS PALATKA (28J) AS THE NEAREST AIRPORT. HOWEVER, AS THE ROUGHNESS CONTINUED AND THE ENGINE’S PERFORMANCE DETERIORATED, I REALIZED THAT THE SITUATION MIGHT LEAD TO AN ENGINE FAILURE, AND THAT CONTINUING TOWARDS PALATKA WOULD CAUSE ME TO LOSE ESSENTIAL FIELDS BENEATH ME.
I DECIDED TO STOP HEADING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND INSTEAD CIRCLE AROUND THE FIELDS UNDER ME, AS I BEGAN LOSING POWER. DESPITE APPLYING FULL THROTTLE, THE ENGINE ONLY PRODUCED ABOUT 1500 RPM. SIMULTANEOUSLY, SMOKE STARTED ENTERING THE CABIN, WHICH FURTHER INDICATED A SEVERE ENGINE MALFUNCTION. POWER CONTINUED TO DECREASE UNTIL I LOST POWER COMPLETELY.
AT THAT POINT, I DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON 121.5 MHZ AND SQUAWKED 7700. I THEN INITIATED THE ENGINE FAILURE CHECKLIST. WITH THE REMAINING ALTITUDE, I IDENTIFIED A SUITABLE FIELD BELOW AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING ON A FARM FIELD. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL, AND BOTH MY PASSENGER AND I WERE UNHARMED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
FAA INSPECTORS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONDUCTED A VISUAL INSPECTION AIRCRAFT AND FOUND NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE RELATED TO THE EVENT. THE ONLY INDICATION WAS LEFT SIDE ENGINE COWLING WAS COVERED WITH ENGINE OIL.
Other reports on N5108L · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.