Small aircraft has engine misfire then surge. Off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	243062
Time
Date	199306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu airport : w17
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu tracon : dab
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	243062
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in cruise VFR at 8500 ft the engine started to misfire, die down, then surge back. The sound was popping and banging. I thought it was a valve or piston. This was a newly overhauled engine. I called raleigh approach, discussed and got vectors to 'raleigh east' airport. I tried switching tanks back and forth I believe and had put on booster pump but no success in restarting. We glided to just short of raleigh east airport and made smooth landing in field. Short field, wheels up. Damaged propeller and belly. I suspect cause to be fuel related. Had rubber bladder tanks installed several yrs ago which have 3 cells in each wing. When fueling, there is a trickle down factor. I have been getting 2 hours 25 mins out of each side tank with no problem or starvation. Today, engine failed at 1 hour 45 mins out. Recommend that installer must supply accurate fuel indicator, gauges, blinking red low fuel lights or something with this stc conversion -- whether or not this was the problem. Perhaps it was another mechanical problem. Our mechanics will try to determine causes in the near future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ENG MISFIRE THEN SURGE. OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE VFR AT 8500 FT THE ENG STARTED TO MISFIRE, DIE DOWN, THEN SURGE BACK. THE SOUND WAS POPPING AND BANGING. I THOUGHT IT WAS A VALVE OR PISTON. THIS WAS A NEWLY OVERHAULED ENG. I CALLED RALEIGH APCH, DISCUSSED AND GOT VECTORS TO 'RALEIGH EAST' ARPT. I TRIED SWITCHING TANKS BACK AND FORTH I BELIEVE AND HAD PUT ON BOOSTER PUMP BUT NO SUCCESS IN RESTARTING. WE GLIDED TO JUST SHORT OF RALEIGH EAST ARPT AND MADE SMOOTH LNDG IN FIELD. SHORT FIELD, WHEELS UP. DAMAGED PROP AND BELLY. I SUSPECT CAUSE TO BE FUEL RELATED. HAD RUBBER BLADDER TANKS INSTALLED SEVERAL YRS AGO WHICH HAVE 3 CELLS IN EACH WING. WHEN FUELING, THERE IS A TRICKLE DOWN FACTOR. I HAVE BEEN GETTING 2 HRS 25 MINS OUT OF EACH SIDE TANK WITH NO PROB OR STARVATION. TODAY, ENG FAILED AT 1 HR 45 MINS OUT. RECOMMEND THAT INSTALLER MUST SUPPLY ACCURATE FUEL INDICATOR, GAUGES, BLINKING RED LOW FUEL LIGHTS OR SOMETHING WITH THIS STC CONVERSION -- WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS THE PROB. PERHAPS IT WAS ANOTHER MECHANICAL PROB. OUR MECHS WILL TRY TO DETERMINE CAUSES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

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.