CFI AND LICENSED PLT BEING CHKED OUT IN A PA28 EXPERIENCE ENG FAILURE AND LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES.

Narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO RE-CHK OUT THE PLT IN THIS COMPLEX AIRPLANE. THE PLT AND INSTRUCTOR TOOK OFF IN VMC AND PROCEEDED TO A LCL PRACTICE AREA ABOUT 15 MI W OF THE FIELD. THE PLT DEMONSTRATED 30 DEG BANK AND 45 DEG BANK TURNS; SLOW FLT; AND PWR ON AND PWR OFF STALLS. THEN WE RETURNED TO ZZZ TO DEMONSTRATE LNDGS AFTER ABOUT 45 MINS. WE CONTACTED ZZZ TWR AT 10 MI; THEN WE PERFORMED THE PRELNDG CHKLIST BY TURNING ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP; SWITCHED FROM THE R FUEL TANK TO THE L; WHICH WAS MORE FULL. WITHIN A MIN; THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THE CFI IN THE R SEAT TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS AT ABOUT 1500 FT AND 125 MPH WITH 22 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AT THE TIME. THE DSCNT RATE INCREASED TO ABOUT 1000 FPM IMMEDIATELY. THE CFI PERFORMED THE EMER RESTART PROC SEVERAL TIMES AFTER TRIMMING FOR 105 MPH. THEN THE R SEAT PLT SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK TO THE R FUEL TANK. THE CFI PERFORMED THE RESTART PROC A COUPLE MORE TIMES. WHEN THE ENG FAILURE WAS FIRST SUSPECTED; THE CFI AND L SEAT PLT DISCUSSED OPTIONS FOR LNDG IN FIELDS. A GOOD OPTION WAS AVAILABLE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE CFI SET UP FOR LNDG IN THAT PASTURE. THE R SEAT PLT RPTED THE SIT TO ZZZ TWR WHEN THE PROB WAS FIRST NOTED. AT ABOUT 300 FT HE MADE A FINAL RPT AND MAYDAY CALL. THE CFI HAD THE FIELD SUCCESSFULLY MADE; SO HE LOWERED LNDG GEAR; LOWERED FLAPS AND SAW 3 GREEN LIGHTS INDICATING DOWN AND LOCKED BEFORE 300 FT AGL. THE CFI MADE A SMOOTH SOFT FIELD LNDG IN THE PASTURE. THE R SEAT PLT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND STOPPED THE PLANE. AFTER STOPPING IN THE PASTURE; THE R SEAT PLT MADE A RADIO RPT TO 'ANY RELAY ACFT' THAT THE ACFT WAS SAFELY ON THE GND WITH NO INJURIES AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. HE THEN SECURED THE COCKPIT BY PERFORMING THE SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. A WALKAROUND INSPECTION CONFIRMED NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WE SUMPED THE TANKS AND ENG TO VISUALLY CHK FOR FUEL CONTAMINATION. NO EVIDENCE OF WATER OR ANY OTHER CONTAMINATION WAS SEEN. AFTER 30 MINS; THE ACFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED.