A CRUISING PA28-180 SUFFERS THE LOSS OF THE FRONT L CYLINDER HEAD WHICH DESTROYED THE COWLING AND WINDSCREEN. ACFT MAKES AN OFF ARPT EMER LNDG AT A RACE TRACK WHILE DIVERTING TO OCF; FL.

Narrative

ACFT FULL FUEL BEFORE TKOF. OBTAINED 2 WX BRIEFINGS; ONE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE TKOF; ONE 2 HRS PREVIOUSLY. ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM TLH TO SUA (DIRECT CTY V159 VRB DIRECT SUA). TKOF ON R TANK AND CLBED TO 7000 FT IN VFR CONDITIONS. STAYED ON R TANK FOR 30 MINS. SWITCHED TO L TANK FOR 30 MINS. NEAR THE 009 DEG RADIAL OF PIE WHERE IT CROSSES V159 BTWN CTY AND OCF; WE SWITCHED TO R TANK. ENG IMMEDIATELY RAN ROUGH. WE SWITCHED BACK TO L TANK BUT THE ENG DID NOT COMPLETELY RETURN TO NORMAL. SO MIXTURE RICH; BOOST PUMP LEFT ON; AND APPLIED CARB HEAT; NOTICING NORMAL RPM DROP. TOOK CARB HEAT OFF AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO OCF AT 7000 FT AND SPIRAL TO ARPT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; AN EXPLOSION IN ENG COMPARTMENT; LATER DETERMINED TO BE L FRONT CYLINDER; DEPARTED THE CRANK CASE. COWLING BROKE BOTH WINDSHIELDS AND OIL ENTERED ACFT. WE SHUT DOWN ENG; SHUT OFF FUEL; SQUAWKED 7700 AND GOT 1 MAYDAY OFF TO JAX APCH. DECISION WAS MADE TO ATTEMPT EMER LNDG ON HORSE RACE TRACK. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH NO DAMAGE ATTRIBUTED TO LNDG.