Small aircraft has power loss, make emergency landing on close runway.

Attributes
ACN	301736
Time
Date	199504
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : k20
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 270 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	301736
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My wife and I were flying from livingston, tn, to west milford, nj. The WX was an excellent VFR day with good visibility and no ceiling. We were 15 seconds from the hozord VOR at 5500 ft MSL when without warning of any kind the engine lost power. With ford airport (K20) in sight we established contact with the unicom and requested airport advisories and wind conditions. Winds were light from the northwest was reported. I asked if the 5000 ft runway that had a yellow 'X' on it would be safe to use due to my lost engine power. The response was it was ok to land on it. I landed on the new runway without incident, safely with no damage to aircraft, person or property. My decision to land on the yellow 'X' runway was based on safety because of the 1750 ft of added length and wind direction of runway 32. The engine is being repaired for a broken exhaust valve on #3 cylinder.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS PWR LOSS, MAKE EMER LNDG ON CLOSE RWY.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I WERE FLYING FROM LIVINGSTON, TN, TO W MILFORD, NJ. THE WX WAS AN EXCELLENT VFR DAY WITH GOOD VISIBILITY AND NO CEILING. WE WERE 15 SECONDS FROM THE HOZORD VOR AT 5500 FT MSL WHEN WITHOUT WARNING OF ANY KIND THE ENG LOST PWR. WITH FORD ARPT (K20) IN SIGHT WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH THE UNICOM AND REQUESTED ARPT ADVISORIES AND WIND CONDITIONS. WINDS WERE LIGHT FROM THE NW WAS RPTED. I ASKED IF THE 5000 FT RWY THAT HAD A YELLOW 'X' ON IT WOULD BE SAFE TO USE DUE TO MY LOST ENG PWR. THE RESPONSE WAS IT WAS OK TO LAND ON IT. I LANDED ON THE NEW RWY WITHOUT INCIDENT, SAFELY WITH NO DAMAGE TO ACFT, PERSON OR PROPERTY. MY DECISION TO LAND ON THE YELLOW 'X' RWY WAS BASED ON SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE 1750 FT OF ADDED LENGTH AND WIND DIRECTION OF RWY 32. THE ENG IS BEING REPAIRED FOR A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE ON #3 CYLINDER.

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.