Narrative:

I departed tys at approximately XA15. The flight was mostly VMC with occasionally IMC. I flew at an initial altitude of 9000 ft MSL, changing to 11000 ft MSL and then settling at 7000 ft MSL for the final half of the flight. At approximately XD30 and 2600 ft MSL, the engine began to miss and sputter. I immediately pushed the throttle and mixture forward. I turned the electric fuel pump on as well. The aircraft continued to miss and sputter, so I switched from the left fuel tank to the right. The engine returned to normal. I radioed tampa center and informed them that I was having some engine difficulties and wanted direct vectors to bkv for a visual approach. They informed me that I was 9 NM from the field and bkv was at my 12 O'clock position. There was haze and visibility was poor, so I could not see the field. Approximately 30 seconds later the engine began to miss and sputter again. I asked tampa center how far away I was now and they told me 7 NM and at my 12 O'clock position. I was losing altitude and at 2200 ft MSL and 7 NM from bkv, I decided to make an emergency landing. I informed tpa of my intentions. They provided me with the current bkv altimeter, winds, and traffic. I squawked 7700 on my transponder and picked out a field located 1 NM to my 9 O'clock position. I trimmed the aircraft for 73 KTS which it would not hold without losing significant altitude. I pulled back on the yoke and held a descent of 500 FPM towards the field. I was too high for a straight-in landing, so I elected to make an abbreviated pattern approach to the field. On the downwind leg, the aircraft stall warning horn went off. I pushed the nose over slightly until it went off and pulled the 2 remaining notches of flaps. I was 700 ft MSL and my airspeed was about 55 KIAS. The engine completely stopped on downwind and I turned off all the electrics except my transponder. My 1 passenger and I checked our seatbelts and I removed my knee board. I pushed the nose over to gain airspeed and then made a 180 degree turn from downwind to short final. As I was near completion of my turn, my airspeed was 60 KIAS and the stall warning horn went off again. I was 100 ft MSL. I leveled the wings, pushed the nose over -- the horn went silent. At about 20 ft AGL, I began to pull the nose up and placed the aircraft into a flare. We touched down and rolled out to a stop around 500 ft after touchdown. We evacuate/evacuationed the aircraft and I immediately called tampa center and informed them that we had landed without injury and without damage to the aircraft. I checked the fuel tanks and they both appeared dry. I met with the FAA tampa FSDO the next morning at the aircraft. They asked me to start the airplane. I cranked on the aircraft and it started. The FAA said that this was not a complete fuel starvation. In addition, they informed me that it was not a violation nor was it an accident. They would be sending me a letter in the mail and recommending I take a 3 hour flight planning course, followed by a visit to my local FSDO office and an oral review of flight planning. They told me that I was free to fly the aircraft out of the field. I added 15 gallons of aviation 100LL. I inspected the grass field for any holes, etc. I made a visual inspection of the area for obstacles and noted 2 trees and a house at the end of the field approximately 3500 ft away. I started the aircraft and taxied to the end of the field. I performed a run-up and everything appeared normal. I waited 2 mins to see if there was any sign of engine trouble. I performed a second run-up and everything appeared normal. I waited an additional 2 mins and everything was still normal. I performed a soft field takeoff, combined with a short field takeoff procedure. I rotated well before my self designated go/no-go point. I climbed out to 2000 ft MSL and headed straight for the bkv airport. Upon arrival, I had the aircraft topped off with fuel. It held 35 gallons combined with the 15 gallons I put in just mins before, that was a combined 50 gallons -- which is exactly what the aircraft holds. Minus the few gallons I burned on the run-ups, takeoff and flight from the grass field to the airport and I had landed in the grass field the night before withmaybe 2-4 gallons of fuel. Why did the aircraft burn almost 12 gph instead of 8 gph? I began reviewing the entire flight sequence for answers. On takeoff for my next trip, I applied power gradually and watched my RPM's and airspeed. I noticed my RPM's would not build up over 2100-2200 RPM's. I watched my airspeed struggle. I aborted the takeoff and pulled off the runway onto taxiway A3. I radioed the tower and asked to taxi back to runway 5R for another run-up. The second run-up was also normal. I made the decision to go. Cleared for takeoff, I applied power and watched the RPM gauge. This time I got 2400 RPM's and continued on down the runway. I rotated at 65 KIAS and noticed the climb out was sluggish. Maintenance review: upon taking the aircraft to bkv, I had a mechanic look over the fuel system. With the exception of a little debris in the fuel strainer, there were no leaks detected. I felt poorly about my flight planning abilities, but I was convinced that something was wrong with the aircraft and was not going to fly it until something was found. I asked them to perform a compression check. The FBO called me with the results of the compression check. 3 cylinders were fine with a reading of 77/80. The #3 cylinder was not so good with a reading of 52/80. Anything below 60/80 requires that the cylinder be pulled and inspected. The cylinder has been pulled and the blow-by appears to be occurring at the rings. The cylinder is being rebuilt by an approved FAA repair center. In review, it seems that the dead cylinder was the culprit of the excessive fuel and oil consumption. 3 days before the trip, one of the other aircraft owners had flown the aircraft and noted that it would not produce more than 2300 RPM's. He returned to tys and found that 4 spark plugs were in bad shape. He is an a&P mechanic and he replaced the spark plugs thinking the problem was resolved. In retrospect, it is obvious to me that the aborted takeoff, the additional roll-out on takeoff, and the poor climb performance were not a factor of the WX, but a factor of the engine. Individually, these things were ignored by me as normal after thinking about them briefly during the flight. I almost returned to tys due to the poor climbing capabilities of the aircraft, but I ignored that thought. Now, I recognize that if something doesn't seem right, that it is probably not. Just like the aborted takeoff, I should have aborted the trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER PA28 MADE AN OFF FIELD LNDG DUE TO LOSS OF ENG PWR CAUSED BY A FAILED #3 CYLINDER.

Narrative: I DEPARTED TYS AT APPROX XA15. THE FLT WAS MOSTLY VMC WITH OCCASIONALLY IMC. I FLEW AT AN INITIAL ALT OF 9000 FT MSL, CHANGING TO 11000 FT MSL AND THEN SETTLING AT 7000 FT MSL FOR THE FINAL HALF OF THE FLT. AT APPROX XD30 AND 2600 FT MSL, THE ENG BEGAN TO MISS AND SPUTTER. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE FORWARD. I TURNED THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ON AS WELL. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO MISS AND SPUTTER, SO I SWITCHED FROM THE L FUEL TANK TO THE R. THE ENG RETURNED TO NORMAL. I RADIOED TAMPA CTR AND INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS HAVING SOME ENG DIFFICULTIES AND WANTED DIRECT VECTORS TO BKV FOR A VISUAL APCH. THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WAS 9 NM FROM THE FIELD AND BKV WAS AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS. THERE WAS HAZE AND VISIBILITY WAS POOR, SO I COULD NOT SEE THE FIELD. APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER THE ENG BEGAN TO MISS AND SPUTTER AGAIN. I ASKED TAMPA CTR HOW FAR AWAY I WAS NOW AND THEY TOLD ME 7 NM AND AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS. I WAS LOSING ALT AND AT 2200 FT MSL AND 7 NM FROM BKV, I DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG. I INFORMED TPA OF MY INTENTIONS. THEY PROVIDED ME WITH THE CURRENT BKV ALTIMETER, WINDS, AND TFC. I SQUAWKED 7700 ON MY XPONDER AND PICKED OUT A FIELD LOCATED 1 NM TO MY 9 O'CLOCK POS. I TRIMMED THE ACFT FOR 73 KTS WHICH IT WOULD NOT HOLD WITHOUT LOSING SIGNIFICANT ALT. I PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE AND HELD A DSCNT OF 500 FPM TOWARDS THE FIELD. I WAS TOO HIGH FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG, SO I ELECTED TO MAKE AN ABBREVIATED PATTERN APCH TO THE FIELD. ON THE DOWNWIND LEG, THE ACFT STALL WARNING HORN WENT OFF. I PUSHED THE NOSE OVER SLIGHTLY UNTIL IT WENT OFF AND PULLED THE 2 REMAINING NOTCHES OF FLAPS. I WAS 700 FT MSL AND MY AIRSPD WAS ABOUT 55 KIAS. THE ENG COMPLETELY STOPPED ON DOWNWIND AND I TURNED OFF ALL THE ELECTRICS EXCEPT MY XPONDER. MY 1 PAX AND I CHKED OUR SEATBELTS AND I REMOVED MY KNEE BOARD. I PUSHED THE NOSE OVER TO GAIN AIRSPD AND THEN MADE A 180 DEG TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO SHORT FINAL. AS I WAS NEAR COMPLETION OF MY TURN, MY AIRSPD WAS 60 KIAS AND THE STALL WARNING HORN WENT OFF AGAIN. I WAS 100 FT MSL. I LEVELED THE WINGS, PUSHED THE NOSE OVER -- THE HORN WENT SILENT. AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL, I BEGAN TO PULL THE NOSE UP AND PLACED THE ACFT INTO A FLARE. WE TOUCHED DOWN AND ROLLED OUT TO A STOP AROUND 500 FT AFTER TOUCHDOWN. WE EVACED THE ACFT AND I IMMEDIATELY CALLED TAMPA CTR AND INFORMED THEM THAT WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT INJURY AND WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. I CHKED THE FUEL TANKS AND THEY BOTH APPEARED DRY. I MET WITH THE FAA TAMPA FSDO THE NEXT MORNING AT THE ACFT. THEY ASKED ME TO START THE AIRPLANE. I CRANKED ON THE ACFT AND IT STARTED. THE FAA SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT A COMPLETE FUEL STARVATION. IN ADDITION, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT A VIOLATION NOR WAS IT AN ACCIDENT. THEY WOULD BE SENDING ME A LETTER IN THE MAIL AND RECOMMENDING I TAKE A 3 HR FLT PLANNING COURSE, FOLLOWED BY A VISIT TO MY LCL FSDO OFFICE AND AN ORAL REVIEW OF FLT PLANNING. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS FREE TO FLY THE ACFT OUT OF THE FIELD. I ADDED 15 GALLONS OF AVIATION 100LL. I INSPECTED THE GRASS FIELD FOR ANY HOLES, ETC. I MADE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE AREA FOR OBSTACLES AND NOTED 2 TREES AND A HOUSE AT THE END OF THE FIELD APPROX 3500 FT AWAY. I STARTED THE ACFT AND TAXIED TO THE END OF THE FIELD. I PERFORMED A RUN-UP AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I WAITED 2 MINS TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY SIGN OF ENG TROUBLE. I PERFORMED A SECOND RUN-UP AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I WAITED AN ADDITIONAL 2 MINS AND EVERYTHING WAS STILL NORMAL. I PERFORMED A SOFT FIELD TKOF, COMBINED WITH A SHORT FIELD TKOF PROC. I ROTATED WELL BEFORE MY SELF DESIGNATED GO/NO-GO POINT. I CLBED OUT TO 2000 FT MSL AND HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE BKV ARPT. UPON ARR, I HAD THE ACFT TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. IT HELD 35 GALLONS COMBINED WITH THE 15 GALLONS I PUT IN JUST MINS BEFORE, THAT WAS A COMBINED 50 GALLONS -- WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE ACFT HOLDS. MINUS THE FEW GALLONS I BURNED ON THE RUN-UPS, TKOF AND FLT FROM THE GRASS FIELD TO THE ARPT AND I HAD LANDED IN THE GRASS FIELD THE NIGHT BEFORE WITHMAYBE 2-4 GALLONS OF FUEL. WHY DID THE ACFT BURN ALMOST 12 GPH INSTEAD OF 8 GPH? I BEGAN REVIEWING THE ENTIRE FLT SEQUENCE FOR ANSWERS. ON TKOF FOR MY NEXT TRIP, I APPLIED PWR GRADUALLY AND WATCHED MY RPM'S AND AIRSPD. I NOTICED MY RPM'S WOULD NOT BUILD UP OVER 2100-2200 RPM'S. I WATCHED MY AIRSPD STRUGGLE. I ABORTED THE TKOF AND PULLED OFF THE RWY ONTO TXWY A3. I RADIOED THE TWR AND ASKED TO TAXI BACK TO RWY 5R FOR ANOTHER RUN-UP. THE SECOND RUN-UP WAS ALSO NORMAL. I MADE THE DECISION TO GO. CLRED FOR TKOF, I APPLIED PWR AND WATCHED THE RPM GAUGE. THIS TIME I GOT 2400 RPM'S AND CONTINUED ON DOWN THE RWY. I ROTATED AT 65 KIAS AND NOTICED THE CLBOUT WAS SLUGGISH. MAINT REVIEW: UPON TAKING THE ACFT TO BKV, I HAD A MECH LOOK OVER THE FUEL SYS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A LITTLE DEBRIS IN THE FUEL STRAINER, THERE WERE NO LEAKS DETECTED. I FELT POORLY ABOUT MY FLT PLANNING ABILITIES, BUT I WAS CONVINCED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ACFT AND WAS NOT GOING TO FLY IT UNTIL SOMETHING WAS FOUND. I ASKED THEM TO PERFORM A COMPRESSION CHK. THE FBO CALLED ME WITH THE RESULTS OF THE COMPRESSION CHK. 3 CYLINDERS WERE FINE WITH A READING OF 77/80. THE #3 CYLINDER WAS NOT SO GOOD WITH A READING OF 52/80. ANYTHING BELOW 60/80 REQUIRES THAT THE CYLINDER BE PULLED AND INSPECTED. THE CYLINDER HAS BEEN PULLED AND THE BLOW-BY APPEARS TO BE OCCURRING AT THE RINGS. THE CYLINDER IS BEING REBUILT BY AN APPROVED FAA REPAIR CTR. IN REVIEW, IT SEEMS THAT THE DEAD CYLINDER WAS THE CULPRIT OF THE EXCESSIVE FUEL AND OIL CONSUMPTION. 3 DAYS BEFORE THE TRIP, ONE OF THE OTHER ACFT OWNERS HAD FLOWN THE ACFT AND NOTED THAT IT WOULD NOT PRODUCE MORE THAN 2300 RPM'S. HE RETURNED TO TYS AND FOUND THAT 4 SPARK PLUGS WERE IN BAD SHAPE. HE IS AN A&P MECH AND HE REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS THINKING THE PROB WAS RESOLVED. IN RETROSPECT, IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THE ABORTED TKOF, THE ADDITIONAL ROLL-OUT ON TKOF, AND THE POOR CLB PERFORMANCE WERE NOT A FACTOR OF THE WX, BUT A FACTOR OF THE ENG. INDIVIDUALLY, THESE THINGS WERE IGNORED BY ME AS NORMAL AFTER THINKING ABOUT THEM BRIEFLY DURING THE FLT. I ALMOST RETURNED TO TYS DUE TO THE POOR CLBING CAPABILITIES OF THE ACFT, BUT I IGNORED THAT THOUGHT. NOW, I RECOGNIZE THAT IF SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, THAT IT IS PROBABLY NOT. JUST LIKE THE ABORTED TKOF, I SHOULD HAVE ABORTED THE TRIP.

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.