GA small aircraft engine failure after takeoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	157111
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oun
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oun
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	157111
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out from takeoff runway 21, upon reaching a point 800' AGL, my engine developed a loud, violent shake. Maximum power output about 45% normal/1700 RPM. At best glide, was barely able to maintain altitude. Turned back to airport and landed west/O a specific clearance on runway 3. Pertinent comments: full preflight was done--in fact, a quart of oil was added. Sumps were checked. Runup was performed with normal indications. Unrelated radio problems (when planes break, everything breaks, it seems) left me unable to contact tower. Full emergency checklist failed to restore power. It appears (not confirmed) that I had a cylinder failure. Here's a comment for a future ASRS report: add 3 deep breaths to your emergency checklist. No damage to pilot or aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM TKOF RWY 21, UPON REACHING A POINT 800' AGL, MY ENG DEVELOPED A LOUD, VIOLENT SHAKE. MAX PWR OUTPUT ABOUT 45% NORMAL/1700 RPM. AT BEST GLIDE, WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. TURNED BACK TO ARPT AND LANDED W/O A SPECIFIC CLRNC ON RWY 3. PERTINENT COMMENTS: FULL PREFLT WAS DONE--IN FACT, A QUART OF OIL WAS ADDED. SUMPS WERE CHKED. RUNUP WAS PERFORMED WITH NORMAL INDICATIONS. UNRELATED RADIO PROBS (WHEN PLANES BREAK, EVERYTHING BREAKS, IT SEEMS) LEFT ME UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR. FULL EMER CHKLIST FAILED TO RESTORE PWR. IT APPEARS (NOT CONFIRMED) THAT I HAD A CYLINDER FAILURE. HERE'S A COMMENT FOR A FUTURE ASRS RPT: ADD 3 DEEP BREATHS TO YOUR EMER CHKLIST. NO DAMAGE TO PLT OR ACFT.

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.