Small aircraft has engine failure at cruise. Makes safe landing at airport.

Attributes
ACN	283407
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lwv
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lwv tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1475 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	283407
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 : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in cruise at 7500 ft MSL at 2600 RPM, I noticed a 300 RPM drop. I pulled carburetor heat, but no detection of carburetor ice so I checked the magnetos. The right magneto was inoperative so I turned towards lwv to make a landing. Suddenly the engine quit. At 7500 ft MSL, I declared an emergency to evansville approach and advised that I had 3 souls and 35 gallons of fuel on board. I made a normal engine-out landing on runway 36 at lwv with no injuries or damage. Mechanics determined that a plastic piece on the magnetos had melted and shorted out causing the engine failure. It was fixed and the aircraft was flown home the next day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ENG FAILURE AT CRUISE. MAKES SAFE LNDG AT ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT 7500 FT MSL AT 2600 RPM, I NOTICED A 300 RPM DROP. I PULLED CARB HEAT, BUT NO DETECTION OF CARB ICE SO I CHKED THE MAGNETOS. THE R MAGNETO WAS INOP SO I TURNED TOWARDS LWV TO MAKE A LNDG. SUDDENLY THE ENG QUIT. AT 7500 FT MSL, I DECLARED AN EMER TO EVANSVILLE APCH AND ADVISED THAT I HAD 3 SOULS AND 35 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. I MADE A NORMAL ENG-OUT LNDG ON RWY 36 AT LWV WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. MECHS DETERMINED THAT A PLASTIC PIECE ON THE MAGNETOS HAD MELTED AND SHORTED OUT CAUSING THE ENG FAILURE. IT WAS FIXED AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN HOME THE NEXT DAY.

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.