GA pilot returns th land with rough running engine.

Attributes
ACN	115404
Time
Date	198906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli airport : ful
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v64
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	115404
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Preflight, ground check on aircraft ok. Departed ful XA30+/- local time. Right turn to 120 degree radar vectors sli MEA = 11,000, cleared to 11,000. Joined V64 above the clouds at 5000. All engine instruments normal. At 6500, 1500 above clouds, engine began to sputter a couple of time, running a little rough. Mp = 21 in, RPM 2400. First check for carburetor ice = none. Then informed coast approach would like to return to ful, no emergency. Landed at ful airport 45 minutes later. On landing at idle, engine very rough, informed FBO at ful of the problem. Later that week a flight instructor and student had power problem over sli VORTAC in same aircraft. The engine just had a new top cylinder head done and part of the cam shaft had come apart on this engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that 15 hours of flight time had been flown on this aircraft since a new cylinder head had been installed. He stated that upon his return with the rough running engine that he had placed the proper remarks into the log for maintenance to note. No previous problems have been experienced with this FBO.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT RETURNS TH LAND WITH ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE.

Narrative: PREFLT, GND CHECK ON ACFT OK. DEPARTED FUL XA30+/- LOCAL TIME. RIGHT TURN TO 120 DEG RADAR VECTORS SLI MEA = 11,000, CLRED TO 11,000. JOINED V64 ABOVE THE CLOUDS AT 5000. ALL ENGINE INSTRUMENTS NORMAL. AT 6500, 1500 ABOVE CLOUDS, ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER A COUPLE OF TIME, RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH. MP = 21 IN, RPM 2400. FIRST CHECK FOR CARBURETOR ICE = NONE. THEN INFORMED COAST APCH WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO FUL, NO EMER. LANDED AT FUL ARPT 45 MINUTES LATER. ON LNDG AT IDLE, ENGINE VERY ROUGH, INFORMED FBO AT FUL OF THE PROBLEM. LATER THAT WEEK A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT HAD POWER PROBLEM OVER SLI VORTAC IN SAME ACFT. THE ENGINE JUST HAD A NEW TOP CYLINDER HEAD DONE AND PART OF THE CAM SHAFT HAD COME APART ON THIS ENGINE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER STATES THAT 15 HRS OF FLT TIME HAD BEEN FLOWN ON THIS ACFT SINCE A NEW CYLINDER HEAD HAD BEEN INSTALLED. HE STATED THAT UPON HIS RETURN WITH THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE THAT HE HAD PLACED THE PROPER REMARKS INTO THE LOG FOR MAINT TO NOTE. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED WITH THIS FBO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.