A LUSCOMBE 8C PVT PLT MAKES AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN HIS OVERHAULED ENG FAILS N OF MLU; LA.

Narrative

THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT IS A 1941 LUSCOMBE 8C. THIS ACFT HAD JUST BEEN THROUGH AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND THE ENG HAD BEEN EXTENSIVELY OVERHAULED. THE ENG WAS A LYCOMING O235 AND THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED FOR THIS ENG IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACFT REPAIR STC. AFTER THIS ACFT WAS RELEASED APR/XA/00 FOR TEST FLTS; I FLEW WITHIN THE TFC PATTERN AND DID 3 TOUCH-AND-GOES AT MLU ARPT. AFTER THESE TEST HOPS; THE MECH VISUALLY INSPECTED THE ENG; SAW NO OIL LEAKS OR ANY PROBS. HE CLRED ME TO TAKE THE AIRPLANE TO AN AIRSTRIP 8 MI FROM MLU. I TOOK OFF AND HEADED NW TO THIS AIRSTRIP. I GOT ABOUT 4 MI AWAY FROM MLU AND THE ENG SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. THE RAPID WAY THE ENG FAILED AND PROP ROTATION STOPPED; I PERCEIVED THE ENG HAD SEIZED. I IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN A FIELD BELOW THAT I FELT I COULD LAND IN WITH NO HAZARD TO ANYONE ELSE. I DECLARED AN EMER TO DEP CTL AND TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS LNDG. I GLIDED TO THE FIELD AND WAS MAKING THE FINAL TURN TO LAND WHEN THE PLANE STALLED PROBABLY 4-5 FT FROM THE GND. THE FIELD WAS CLR OF OBSTACLES EXCEPT FOR SOME LARGE DRAIN CULVERTS STACKED IN THE FIELD FOR FUTURE SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THESE CULVERTS WHEN IT STALLED AND I FAILED TO AVOID STRIKING THEM. THE LNDG GEAR AND UNDER PART OF THE MID FUSELAGE WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED -- PROBABLY BEYOND REPAIR. I STEPPED OUT OF THE WRECK WITH NO INJURIES! SOME YRS AGO; I INSTALLED SHOULDER HARNESSES WHICH HELD ME SECURE DURING THE IMPACT. I THANK MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST FOR KEEPING ME FROM HARM!