Narrative:

Departed hwd for a traffic watch flight carrying 1 reporter. Upon reaching 1400' MSL and beginning level off, the aircraft lost complete power. I performed standard emergency procedures and attempted to restart engine. With limited time because of low altitude, glided to nearby field and landed safely. I believe that because the aircraft engine was beyond time between overhaul, I was operating at some calculated risk. However, the aircraft was legal in respect to inspections, ads, etc, as was assured by the mechanic that afternoon. There was no sigh of any problem during preflight or runup. Problem has since been tracked to carburetor/throttle cable. I recommend that any engine operated beyond tbo be required to have more thorough inspections, especially for commercial operations such as flight instruction/traffic watch under part 91 far. I will certainly insist on more information or the history of an aircraft before flying with a company or FBO. Additional notes: traffic watch aircraft often fly at relatively low altitudes because of the nature of the work. Pilots should be aware of the inherent risk, and be on constant lookout for safe landing areas, should an emergency occur. As a CFI I teach this to my students and practice it myself. In this case it paid off. I was in radio contact with hwd tower and advised them of my emergency. Upon landing safely, I again advised them so. It helped that I was able to tell them my exact location (hayward high school) when the emergency took place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA TRAFFIC WATCH ACFT POWER LOSS DURING CLIMB. OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: DEPARTED HWD FOR A TFC WATCH FLT CARRYING 1 RPTR. UPON REACHING 1400' MSL AND BEGINNING LEVEL OFF, THE ACFT LOST COMPLETE PWR. I PERFORMED STANDARD EMER PROCS AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENG. WITH LIMITED TIME BECAUSE OF LOW ALT, GLIDED TO NEARBY FIELD AND LANDED SAFELY. I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THE ACFT ENG WAS BEYOND TIME BTWN OVERHAUL, I WAS OPERATING AT SOME CALCULATED RISK. HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS LEGAL IN RESPECT TO INSPECTIONS, ADS, ETC, AS WAS ASSURED BY THE MECH THAT AFTERNOON. THERE WAS NO SIGH OF ANY PROB DURING PREFLT OR RUNUP. PROB HAS SINCE BEEN TRACKED TO CARB/THROTTLE CABLE. I RECOMMEND THAT ANY ENG OPERATED BEYOND TBO BE REQUIRED TO HAVE MORE THOROUGH INSPECTIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR COMMERCIAL OPS SUCH AS FLT INSTRUCTION/TFC WATCH UNDER PART 91 FAR. I WILL CERTAINLY INSIST ON MORE INFO OR THE HISTORY OF AN ACFT BEFORE FLYING WITH A COMPANY OR FBO. ADDITIONAL NOTES: TFC WATCH ACFT OFTEN FLY AT RELATIVELY LOW ALTS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE WORK. PLTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE INHERENT RISK, AND BE ON CONSTANT LOOKOUT FOR SAFE LNDG AREAS, SHOULD AN EMER OCCUR. AS A CFI I TEACH THIS TO MY STUDENTS AND PRACTICE IT MYSELF. IN THIS CASE IT PAID OFF. I WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH HWD TWR AND ADVISED THEM OF MY EMER. UPON LNDG SAFELY, I AGAIN ADVISED THEM SO. IT HELPED THAT I WAS ABLE TO TELL THEM MY EXACT LOCATION (HAYWARD HIGH SCHOOL) WHEN THE EMER TOOK PLACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.