Narrative:

During an IFR training/currency flight, myself and another gentleman, both cfii's, had just completed the NDB runway 24 at sgh and requested an ASR approach to day. However, day was unable to work us in and suggested the ASR to ffo runway 23R to the 'option' instead. We accepted the approach and clarified that it would terminate as a low approach only. This was important because both of us knew that civilian aircraft such as ours were prohibited from actually touching down at ffo, wright-patterson AFB. Eventually we spotted the runway 23R threshold and were instructed to contact ffo tower. We did so, then completed the low approach and switched back to departure as we applied power for the climb. At that point, the engine began suddenly to run rough and lost power. Application of carburetor heat and subsequent attempts to lean the mixture failed to correct the problem as we circled over ffo. WX at the time was ceiling 700, sky partially obscured, 1 mi visibility in fog and rain. Understandably, we did not want to climb back up into the low ceiling and decided the safest course of action would be to land at ffo and sort out the paperwork when safely on the ground. I would like to add that carburetor heat had been used throughout the initial ASR approach, approximately 3 hours fuel was remaining, and no magneto trouble or fuel contamination was found during the preflight inspection and runup. In fact, the aircraft had performed flawlessly until power was applied for climb after the ASR to runway 23R at ffo. Day approach switched us to ffo tower who cleared us to land, rolled the emergency equipment, and had us escorted to parking. Later, one of their mechanics examined our aircraft and determined that we had experienced a failure of the left magneto. Throughout the ordeal, the folks at wright- patterson were very professional and understanding.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 CFII S PRACTICING INST APCHS HAVE ENG PROB. EMER LNDG AT MIL ARPT.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR TRAINING/CURRENCY FLT, MYSELF AND ANOTHER GENTLEMAN, BOTH CFII'S, HAD JUST COMPLETED THE NDB RWY 24 AT SGH AND REQUESTED AN ASR APCH TO DAY. HOWEVER, DAY WAS UNABLE TO WORK US IN AND SUGGESTED THE ASR TO FFO RWY 23R TO THE 'OPTION' INSTEAD. WE ACCEPTED THE APCH AND CLARIFIED THAT IT WOULD TERMINATE AS A LOW APCH ONLY. THIS WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE BOTH OF US KNEW THAT CIVILIAN ACFT SUCH AS OURS WERE PROHIBITED FROM ACTUALLY TOUCHING DOWN AT FFO, WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB. EVENTUALLY WE SPOTTED THE RWY 23R THRESHOLD AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT FFO TWR. WE DID SO, THEN COMPLETED THE LOW APCH AND SWITCHED BACK TO DEP AS WE APPLIED PWR FOR THE CLB. AT THAT POINT, THE ENG BEGAN SUDDENLY TO RUN ROUGH AND LOST PWR. APPLICATION OF CARB HEAT AND SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO LEAN THE MIXTURE FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROB AS WE CIRCLED OVER FFO. WX AT THE TIME WAS CEILING 700, SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 1 MI VISIBILITY IN FOG AND RAIN. UNDERSTANDABLY, WE DID NOT WANT TO CLB BACK UP INTO THE LOW CEILING AND DECIDED THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO LAND AT FFO AND SORT OUT THE PAPERWORK WHEN SAFELY ON THE GND. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT CARB HEAT HAD BEEN USED THROUGHOUT THE INITIAL ASR APCH, APPROX 3 HRS FUEL WAS REMAINING, AND NO MAGNETO TROUBLE OR FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION AND RUNUP. IN FACT, THE ACFT HAD PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY UNTIL PWR WAS APPLIED FOR CLB AFTER THE ASR TO RWY 23R AT FFO. DAY APCH SWITCHED US TO FFO TWR WHO CLRED US TO LAND, ROLLED THE EMER EQUIP, AND HAD US ESCORTED TO PARKING. LATER, ONE OF THEIR MECHS EXAMINED OUR ACFT AND DETERMINED THAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE L MAGNETO. THROUGHOUT THE ORDEAL, THE FOLKS AT WRIGHT- PATTERSON WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND UNDERSTANDING.

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.