Small aircraft has loss of cylinder temperature. Divert land.

Attributes
ACN	289190
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : een
State Reference	NH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 960 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	289190
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While en route to teterboro, nj, from lci lacoma, nh, in a C-210T, while 8 mi east of keene, one of the cylinders lost temperature. I decided to land at keene, to take a look at the situation. My pass, a former a&P pilot -- and also my boss, instructed the mechanic to pull the cowling and check the plugs. The plug had its contacts pushed together. After coming from the terminal, my boss said that we would fly the plane back to lacoma where further repairs could be made. The mechanic gave no indication that it could not be flown, and I asked my boss, if it was safe to fly. He answered yes, but what troubles me, is that although the airplane ran and flew fire, I'm not sure if it was legal, let alone stupid to fly with one cylinder out of the 6 working improperly. But not being a mechanic and having a former mechanic's opinion, I thought would be ok for the short 25 min flight. Although everything was ok, something could have gone wrong and it was stupid to attempt flight. From here on out I will go with my instincts no matter what anyone else says.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS LOSS OF CYLINDER TEMP. DIVERT LAND.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO TETERBORO, NJ, FROM LCI LACOMA, NH, IN A C-210T, WHILE 8 MI E OF KEENE, ONE OF THE CYLINDERS LOST TEMP. I DECIDED TO LAND AT KEENE, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SIT. MY PASS, A FORMER A&P PLT -- AND ALSO MY BOSS, INSTRUCTED THE MECH TO PULL THE COWLING AND CHK THE PLUGS. THE PLUG HAD ITS CONTACTS PUSHED TOGETHER. AFTER COMING FROM THE TERMINAL, MY BOSS SAID THAT WE WOULD FLY THE PLANE BACK TO LACOMA WHERE FURTHER REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. THE MECH GAVE NO INDICATION THAT IT COULD NOT BE FLOWN, AND I ASKED MY BOSS, IF IT WAS SAFE TO FLY. HE ANSWERED YES, BUT WHAT TROUBLES ME, IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE AIRPLANE RAN AND FLEW FIRE, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS LEGAL, LET ALONE STUPID TO FLY WITH ONE CYLINDER OUT OF THE 6 WORKING IMPROPERLY. BUT NOT BEING A MECH AND HAVING A FORMER MECH'S OPINION, I THOUGHT WOULD BE OK FOR THE SHORT 25 MIN FLT. ALTHOUGH EVERYTHING WAS OK, SOMETHING COULD HAVE GONE WRONG AND IT WAS STUPID TO ATTEMPT FLT. FROM HERE ON OUT I WILL GO WITH MY INSTINCTS NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS.

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.