PIPER WARRIOR PLT EXPERIENCES PWR LOSS AND LANDS IN WHEAT FIELD IN KANSAS 8 MI SHORT OF DEST.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING TO K78 ABILENE MUNICIPAL ARPT AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN PWR LOSS. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. I CORRECTED MY HDG TO HERRINGTON ARPT; WHICH WAS CLOSEST ARPT. AT ABOUT 9 MI FROM HERRINGTON; I RECOGNIZED I WAS UNABLE TO PROBABLY REACH THE ARPT. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZKC. I WAS UNABLE; BUT A PASSING ACFT RELAYED MY MESSAGE INCLUDING ALT; N-NUMBER AND PROB. THEY TOLD ME TO SQUAWK XXXX WHICH I DID. I THEN IDENTED A WHEAT FIELD SUITABLE FOR LNDG. I THEN MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. ON THE GND; I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ACFT OR CTR; BUT WAS UNABLE. I THEN CAUGHT A RIDE TO NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT CTR IN HERRINGTON TO MAKE RPT; AND THEY NOTIFIED ALL SEARCH AND RESCUE AND ZKC. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO AIRPLANE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT ENG DID NOT FAIL BUT HAD SEVERE PWR LOSS PREVENTING HIM FROM REACHING AN ARPT. HE WAS IMPRESSED WITH HIS TRAINING; WHICH GAVE HIM THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE A LNDG AREA THAT RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED TO FIND A BAFFLE RELATED TO THE COCKPIT HEATER HAD COME LOOSE AND LODGED IN THE EXHAUST SYS BLOCKING THE EXHAUST AND CAUSING THE PWR LOSS. EXHAUST SYS WAS REPLACED AND THE ACFT FLOWN OUT. RPTR STATES THAT HIS PREFLT NOW INCLUDES A THUMP ON THE EXHAUST TO CHK FOR RATTLES AND LOOSE PARTS.