OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG WHEN BOEING STEARMAN ENG QUITS DUE TO CARB ICING. THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE OR INJURIES TO THE PLT AND PAX.

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PLEASURE FLT -- BEAUTIFUL SUMMER AFTERNOON IN A STEARMAN! TOOK A FRIEND ALONG AND HAD A GOOD TIME FLYING OVER THE MINNESOTA SUMMER FARMLAND LANDSCAPE. HUMID DAY; THOUGH; AND I THINK I DEVELOPED CARB ICE. BY THE TIME IT BECAME EVIDENT; IT WAS TOO LATE AS THE ENG LOST PWR ALMOST COMPLETELY. I USED THE ACCELERATOR PUMP BY PUMPING THE THROTTLE; AND THAT SEEMED TO WORK AS I PICKED OUT A FIELD. I WAS HAPPY I HAD PICKED OUT A FIELD; THOUGH; AS THE ENG ULTIMATELY QUIT AND I WAS FORCED TO LAND. MY INITIAL ACTIONS (MIXTURE RICH; CARB HEAT ON; CHK BOTH MAGNETOS AND FUEL MASTER ON) WERE TOO LITTLE; TOO LATE; AND WE LANDED IN A ROUGH FIELD. THE STEARMAN HAS BIG TIRES AND GREAT SHOCK ABSORPTION (DESIGNED AS A WWII MIL TRAINER); AND I CREDIT THAT WITH THIS ENDING UP AS AN UNEVENTFUL FORCED LNDG WITH NO DAMAGE. HAD WE BEEN IN A MODERN AIRPLANE WITH SMALL WHEELS; IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT (AND SADDER) STORY. HERE'S THE LESSONS: 1) HUMID; SUMMER DAYS NECESSITATE PERIODIC CARB HEAT! 2) HAVE EMER FIELDS CONSTANTLY IN THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND. 3) IF YOU HAVE TO EXECUTE A FORCED LNDG IN ROUGH TERRAIN; DO IT IN A STEARMAN!