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GA small aircraft developed engine problems at cruise altitude of 6000 ft. Pilot unable to resolve problem, declared an emergency for a landing at dtw.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 194066 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199111 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dtw |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dtw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 194066 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Performed thorough preflight. Did runup per checklist -- normal. Departed owosso normal. 20 mins into flight noticed slight engine miss at 6000 ft. Tried carburetor heat, mixture adjustment -- no change. Descending from 6000 to 3000 engine ran worse. Performed emergency procedures for rough running engine/engine failure -- switch fuel tanks, mixture full rich then different setting various throttle mixture, carburetor heat settings/combinations. Checked both magnetos -- no improvement. Turned fuel boost pump on -- no change. Checked primer -- ok. Could only get 20 inches of manifold pressure. Was maintaining 3000 MSL. Airspeed was down to 85 KIAS. At 9 DME from airport told approach had rough running engine. Requested priority. Did not have runway in sight. Received vector -- left turn to heading 140. I saw the airport just about same time as receiving vector. At 6 DME engine continually got worse. I felt if I didn't head straight for the airport an off field landing would have to be made as a complete engine failure was coming. I declared an emergency and was cleared to land on runway 21L. Landed without accident, incident or injury. Taxied to FBO. Talked to mechanic that is checking airplane. So far the mechanic has found the right magneto completely dead and the left magneto very bad. I have no idea as to why the problem occurred or how to prevent it as the runup went normal. (I have approximately 200 hours in this specific airplane.) I have no idea how to prevent it as the problem occurred approximately 20-25 mins into the flight. The reason I went from requesting priority to declaring an emergency was to let ATC know the severity of the problem and to prevent possibly getting any vectors that would take my any further from the airport. I'm not blaming ATC for anything, just that when the vector was given to me the engine was almost completely gone. That's why I declared an emergency. I don't believe any FARS were violated by this action.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMA DEVELOPED ENG PROBLEMS AT CRUISE ALT OF 6000 FT. PLT UNABLE TO RESOLVE PROBLEM, DECLARED AN EMER FOR A LNDG AT DTW.
Narrative: PERFORMED THOROUGH PREFLT. DID RUNUP PER CHKLIST -- NORMAL. DEPARTED OWOSSO NORMAL. 20 MINS INTO FLT NOTICED SLIGHT ENG MISS AT 6000 FT. TRIED CARB HEAT, MIXTURE ADJUSTMENT -- NO CHANGE. DSNDING FROM 6000 TO 3000 ENG RAN WORSE. PERFORMED EMER PROCS FOR ROUGH RUNNING ENG/ENG FAILURE -- SWITCH FUEL TANKS, MIXTURE FULL RICH THEN DIFFERENT SETTING VARIOUS THROTTLE MIXTURE, CARB HEAT SETTINGS/COMBINATIONS. CHKED BOTH MAGNETOS -- NO IMPROVEMENT. TURNED FUEL BOOST PUMP ON -- NO CHANGE. CHKED PRIMER -- OK. COULD ONLY GET 20 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE. WAS MAINTAINING 3000 MSL. AIRSPD WAS DOWN TO 85 KIAS. AT 9 DME FROM ARPT TOLD APCH HAD ROUGH RUNNING ENG. REQUESTED PRIORITY. DID NOT HAVE RWY IN SIGHT. RECEIVED VECTOR -- L TURN TO HDG 140. I SAW THE ARPT JUST ABOUT SAME TIME AS RECEIVING VECTOR. AT 6 DME ENG CONTINUALLY GOT WORSE. I FELT IF I DIDN'T HEAD STRAIGHT FOR THE ARPT AN OFF FIELD LNDG WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE AS A COMPLETE ENG FAILURE WAS COMING. I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 21L. LANDED WITHOUT ACCIDENT, INCIDENT OR INJURY. TAXIED TO FBO. TALKED TO MECH THAT IS CHKING AIRPLANE. SO FAR THE MECH HAS FOUND THE R MAGNETO COMPLETELY DEAD AND THE L MAGNETO VERY BAD. I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO WHY THE PROBLEM OCCURRED OR HOW TO PREVENT IT AS THE RUNUP WENT NORMAL. (I HAVE APPROX 200 HRS IN THIS SPECIFIC AIRPLANE.) I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PREVENT IT AS THE PROBLEM OCCURRED APPROX 20-25 MINS INTO THE FLT. THE REASON I WENT FROM REQUESTING PRIORITY TO DECLARING AN EMER WAS TO LET ATC KNOW THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM AND TO PREVENT POSSIBLY GETTING ANY VECTORS THAT WOULD TAKE MY ANY FURTHER FROM THE ARPT. I'M NOT BLAMING ATC FOR ANYTHING, JUST THAT WHEN THE VECTOR WAS GIVEN TO ME THE ENG WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE. THAT'S WHY I DECLARED AN EMER. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY FARS WERE VIOLATED BY THIS ACTION.
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.