CHI00LA245

The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with crops and terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot was uninjured. The pilot said he felt he had the runway made and set up for a slightly wide base leg to lose excess altitude. He said that on final, the approach looked good but slightly high, so he lowered 10 degrees of flaps. He stated that it then appeared the glide was going to be short. The pilot further said, 'Realizing I would not make the runway I banked slightly to the left in an attempt to land in the soybean field east of the corn field I was over. Just before impact I flared slightly and the aircraft struck the corn field and nosed over, landing on its back. I was uninjured and exited the aircraft.' A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed an on-scene examination of the wreckage. The inspector's report states, 'Prior to engine test run and after aircraft was turned right side up, approximately one teaspoon of water was drained from sumps. Possible fuel contamination suspected. Static engine test run was satisfactory.'

On August 4, 2000, about 2005 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N7385W, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with crops and terrain during a forced landing north of runway 17 (3,100 feet X 85 feet, dry/grass) following an in-flight loss of engine power near Arthur Airport, near Arthur, North Dakota. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight departed Hector International Airport, near Fargo, North Dakota, at 1945 and was on approach for practice landings at Arthur Airport at the time of the accident.

In his written statement the pilot said, "At approximately 2500 MSL, on a high downwind position for runway 17, I applied carb heat and throttled back. I then realized the engine had quit. Moving the throttle had no effect. I checked that the mixture was rich (full in), the fuel shut-off valve was on, the mags were on, the master was on, the primer was in and locked, and that the carb heat was on. The prop was windmilling and the engine did not restart. I pitched for best glide speed of 60 KIAS and prepared for an engine-out landing. I felt I had the runway made and set up for a slightly wide base leg to lose excess altitude. Had I turned directly into the runway I would have overshot. I secured the engine by pulling the mixture out, shutting the fuel shut-off valve off, and turning the mags off. Rolling out on final, the approach looked good but slightly high so I lowered 10 degrees of flaps. It then appeared the glide was going to be short so I attempted an engine restart." The pilot further said, "Realizing I would not make the runway I banked slightly to the left in an attempt to land in the soybean field east of the corn field I was over. Just before impact I flared slightly and the aircraft struck the corn field and nosed over, landing on its back. I was uninjured and exited the aircraft."

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed an on-scene examination of the wreckage. The inspector's report states, "Prior to engine test run and after aircraft was turned right side up, approximately one teaspoon of water was drained from sumps. Possible fuel contamination suspected. Static engine test run was satisfactory."