Private pilot on IFR flight diverted to land due to a rough running engine and loss of power. ATC di...

Attributes
ACN	328612
Time
Date	199602
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fgt airport : syn
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 631 flight time type : 631
ASRS Report	328612
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Engine developed roughness, unable to restore full power. Asked ATC for vectors to nearest airport due to engine roughness. They first vectored me to airlake (Y12) at 10 mi, then suggested 'grass landing strip' at stanton (syn) at 1 1/2 mi. I took (syn) as uncertain how long engine would run, and wanted to land as soon as possible. Runway was soft with melting snow and ice. Landed safely and was then told by local airport manager that airport was closed due to soft runway. When I was on ATC frequency I had not declared an emergency, I simply asked for vectors to nearest airport due to engine roughness and loss of power. When I was cleared to local CTAF frequency 122.8 I declared an emergency to warn any local traffic. There was none. I see no problem here except that I landed at a closed airport. Had I known it was closed I would have landed anyway as it appeared safe, although soft. I didn't want to risk total engine failure away from any airport. I think the system worked well, ATC was most helpful. The only suggestion for improvement was if ATC could have told me the runway was closed due to softness I might have set up my approach differently. It worked out well with no damage or injury although legally the airport was closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT ON IFR FLT DIVERTED TO LAND DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENG AND LOSS OF PWR. ATC DIRECTED HIM TO THE NEAREST ARPT WHICH HAPPENED TO BE CLOSED BECAUSE OF SNOW ON THE RWY.

Narrative: ENG DEVELOPED ROUGHNESS, UNABLE TO RESTORE FULL PWR. ASKED ATC FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT DUE TO ENG ROUGHNESS. THEY FIRST VECTORED ME TO AIRLAKE (Y12) AT 10 MI, THEN SUGGESTED 'GRASS LNDG STRIP' AT STANTON (SYN) AT 1 1/2 MI. I TOOK (SYN) AS UNCERTAIN HOW LONG ENG WOULD RUN, AND WANTED TO LAND ASAP. RWY WAS SOFT WITH MELTING SNOW AND ICE. LANDED SAFELY AND WAS THEN TOLD BY LCL ARPT MGR THAT ARPT WAS CLOSED DUE TO SOFT RWY. WHEN I WAS ON ATC FREQ I HAD NOT DECLARED AN EMER, I SIMPLY ASKED FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT DUE TO ENG ROUGHNESS AND LOSS OF PWR. WHEN I WAS CLRED TO LCL CTAF FREQ 122.8 I DECLARED AN EMER TO WARN ANY LCL TFC. THERE WAS NONE. I SEE NO PROB HERE EXCEPT THAT I LANDED AT A CLOSED ARPT. HAD I KNOWN IT WAS CLOSED I WOULD HAVE LANDED ANYWAY AS IT APPEARED SAFE, ALTHOUGH SOFT. I DIDN'T WANT TO RISK TOTAL ENG FAILURE AWAY FROM ANY ARPT. I THINK THE SYS WORKED WELL, ATC WAS MOST HELPFUL. THE ONLY SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVEMENT WAS IF ATC COULD HAVE TOLD ME THE RWY WAS CLOSED DUE TO SOFTNESS I MIGHT HAVE SET UP MY APCH DIFFERENTLY. IT WORKED OUT WELL WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURY ALTHOUGH LEGALLY THE ARPT WAS CLOSED.

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.

Private pilot on IFR flight diverted to land due to a rough running engine and loss of power. ATC directed him to the nearest airport which happened to be closed because of snow on the runway.