CHI98LA348

The pilot was circling over his father's house when the engine 'experienced a power shortage.' He made a precautionary landing in a field during which time the 'tail came up', the propeller contacted the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated the engine may have been running rough because he did not enrich the mixture after having leaned it at 5,000 feet. The airplane touched down 1/2 way down the 1,000 foot long field and traveled about 150 feet prior to nosing over. There were no tail wheel tracks during the time the airplane was on the ground. The pilot had been known to land in this field in the past.

On September 3, 1998, at 2000 central daylight time (cdt) a Cessna 185F, N1005F, operated by a private pilot nosed over during an off airport precautionary landing in Bottineau, North Dakota. The pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Bottineau Municipal Airport, Bottineau, North Dakota, at 1900 cdt.

The pilot reported that he had performed some takeoffs and landings prior to practicing stalls and slow flight at an altitude of 5,000 feet mean sea level. He stated he then practiced "power off landings" prior to heading west of Bottineau. The pilot reported he flew over his father's residence and while circling the engine "experienced a power shortage." He reported that he made a precautionary landing in a field during which time the "tail came up", the propeller contacted the ground, and the airplane nosed over.

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Fargo, North Dakota, Flight Standards District Office reported the field was approximately 1,000 feet long and the airplane touched down approximately 1/2 way down the field. The airplane traveled approximately 150 feet prior to nosing over. There were no tail wheel tracks during the time the airplane was on the ground.