Sundowner 23
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 12; Flight Crew Total 392; Flight Crew Type 392
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
I was scheduled to conduct my CFI check ride with FAA Inspector. At approximately noon I conducted a preflight inspection of Beechcraft Sundowner (BE23). The fuel tanks were both even at approximately 20-gallons each and oil dip stick indicated the oil level was at 7.0 QTS. Engine start-up was normal. Fuel pressure; oil temp and pressure were reading normal. We taxied to the end of Runway 17. Light winds were reported. Preflight engine run-up was conducted according to the POH checklist. No anomalies were observed. I was instructed by the FAA Inspector to proceed with a short filed take-off demonstration. The take-off was normal as we proceeded on a westerly heading to an area located approximately 18 NM west of the airport. I proceeded with a 360-degree right clearing turning and proceeded to conduct various maneuvers as assigned by the Inspector. After completing stalls; steep turns; and a steep spiral; we leveled off at approximately 3;500 FT MSL when the Inspector pulled the throttled back to idle. I proceeded to instruct him as if he was a student on how to execute an emergency landing by configuring the airplane for best glide and simulating an engine restart. We completed the exercise at about 1;300 FT MSL and proceeded with a climbing left turn to gain altitude. Aircraft performance had been normal until this point in the flight. At about 2;500 FT MSL into the climb I noticed the airplane was not performing a normal climb. I determined a loss of power was occurring and made an announcement to the Inspector to that effect. I applied carburetor heat and switched fuel tanks. I checked that the electric fuel pump was still on as appropriately required during the maneuvers we were performing. I stated that I smelled oil smoke and saw it filling the cabin. In about 10-seconds after I announced I was losing engine power; the engine stopped. The prop didn't windmill. The Inspector attempted to restart the engine but to no avail. At this time I had leveled off from the climb and started to trim the airplane for best glide speed of 90 MPH. I spotted several areas to land as the Inspector made a radio call to announce our situation and state our intentions. The Inspector pointed out an empty farm field that was straight ahead. I proceeded to line up with what appeared to be trail from a farm tractor and used it as a reference to land on. When I felt I had the field lined up and confident I was going to clear a fence; I added full flaps. I maintained a normal approach speed and flared earlier than normal to avoid a nose first impact because the farm field selected slopped up. Upon roll-out I raised the flaps to avoid potential damage and came to a rest in about 800 to 900 FT. The Inspector stated he was OK and I replied the same. I proceeded to shut-down the electronics; fuel and magnetos and we both exited the airplane unharmed. There was no apparent damage to the aircraft as a result of the off field landing at that time.
A BE23 engine failed during a FAA CFI checkride so the pilot successfully completed an off airport landing with no damage or injuries.