The Tiger Moth I've been flying, a DH-82A (all original, still with its tail skid and no electrics) suffered an engine failure on Saturday. We were fortunate. It happened at 1800' AGL (not just after take-off), and the Pilot, Bob M., was right on the money. He found a field and dead-sticked it properly. Zero damage. Zero injury. And his passenger, an 11 year-old kid, has something to talk about when school starts tomorrow.
He picked a bean field -- not that there were a lot of options. Here he is, Outstanding In His Field.
I asked him to describe the engine symptoms. He said it went rattle-rattle-Rattle, Bang-BANG-BANG - CLUNKKKK!!! And the prop stopped. (It's seized. Possibly a rod, or the crank failed.)
So then I asked him to describe what it was like to touch down in the beans. And he sprouted wings and pantomined the touchdown.
The big fat soft tires of the Moth didn't grab the beans, the lower wings kissed the tops and were cushioned, the tail sank in and started to grab (as I say, it's a skid), and it settled in 3-point and rolled about 200 ft. Very little damage to the beans, and the fabric under the wings is not even marked. (You can see his main wheel track marks, just, behind him.)