Seaplane or Amphibian
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 4000; Flight Crew Type 30
Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Evacuated
Aircraft
Started to lose engine power at 1300 feet AGL. Made a precautionary landing in a farmer's field. No injuries and no damage to the aircraft or the field.
While on initial descent from 2000 feet in VMC conditions (there was a ceiling a few thousand feet up but I don't recall how high) with visibility at least 10 miles; about 6 miles from our [destination] at an altitude of about 1500 feet the aircraft experienced power failure consistent with an engine failure. I was not at the controls. I queried the pilot flying and he confirmed that his left foot was dead foot. I began looking for a field while simultaneously using the nearest function of the Garmin 530 to look for an airport. Seeing the nearest was more than 5 miles away and our altitude was at 1200 I believed the best course was a field and began looking for one. After the pilot flying ran through levers and switches to restore power the engine(s) briefly roared back to life at about 300-400 feet above ground level; and we gained about 1000 (approximately) feet of altitude before the same thing happened again. I recommended a field to my right but the pilot flying stated he had one in sight on his left and turned towards it on base while securing the engines. He turned final and landed the plane in a field. There were no injuries to myself or the pilot flying; the only occupants; and no damage to the plane. The right wheel sunk into the turf about 6 inches in the last approximately 10 yards making it immobile but again; there was no damage to the plane.
When both engines failed simultaneously on the UC-1 'Twin Seabee' the two pilots aboard collaborated to land safely in an open field where one wheel became mired but no damage or injuries resulted. No mention or speculation as to the cause of the dual failures was provided.