A pegasus 912 trike in cruise at 1500 ft experiences a rough running engine with low power.

Attributes
ACN	527127
Time
Date	200110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Ultralight
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	527127
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I took off from the ZZZ airport at XA00 hours. I flew west towards ZZZ1 sightseeing. I headed back towards the ZZZ airport at XB00 hours when I experienced a rough engine. Surveying my alternatives, I spotted a road running north and south. I was flying due east and decided to land on the road, rather than experience an engine out over the corn. As I descended to build up airspeed, I noticed a power line. I had 2 choices: 1)try to go over it with no real engine power, or 2) go under it. I decided to go under the power lines when my top king post on the glider struck the lower power line severing it. Because of the damage, I decided not to turn right and land on the road, but to proceed due east and stay 4 ft off the ground and land at the airport if I could make it, which I did. Damage to aircraft was minimal. Possible cause of engine roughness was carburetor ice. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that when the engine started to run rough and lose power the decision was made to land on a road. The reporter said on approach to the road the king post on the wing struck and severed a power line. The reporter stated the altitude was about 4 ft and the engine was able to maintain this altitude and reach an airport. The reporter said the king post incurred slight damage. The reporter stated the power company was advised of the power line damage. The reporter said this incident was not reported to the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PEGASUS 912 TRIKE IN CRUISE AT 1500 FT EXPERIENCES A ROUGH RUNNING ENG WITH LOW PWR.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM THE ZZZ ARPT AT XA00 HRS. I FLEW W TOWARDS ZZZ1 SIGHTSEEING. I HEADED BACK TOWARDS THE ZZZ ARPT AT XB00 HRS WHEN I EXPERIENCED A ROUGH ENG. SURVEYING MY ALTERNATIVES, I SPOTTED A ROAD RUNNING N AND S. I WAS FLYING DUE E AND DECIDED TO LAND ON THE ROAD, RATHER THAN EXPERIENCE AN ENG OUT OVER THE CORN. AS I DSNDED TO BUILD UP AIRSPEED, I NOTICED A PWR LINE. I HAD 2 CHOICES: 1)TRY TO GO OVER IT WITH NO REAL ENG PWR, OR 2) GO UNDER IT. I DECIDED TO GO UNDER THE PWR LINES WHEN MY TOP KING POST ON THE GLIDER STRUCK THE LOWER PWR LINE SEVERING IT. BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE, I DECIDED NOT TO TURN R AND LAND ON THE ROAD, BUT TO PROCEED DUE E AND STAY 4 FT OFF THE GND AND LAND AT THE ARPT IF I COULD MAKE IT, WHICH I DID. DAMAGE TO ACFT WAS MINIMAL. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ENG ROUGHNESS WAS CARB ICE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT WHEN THE ENG STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE PWR THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND ON A ROAD. THE RPTR SAID ON APCH TO THE ROAD THE KING POST ON THE WING STRUCK AND SEVERED A PWR LINE. THE RPTR STATED THE ALT WAS ABOUT 4 FT AND THE ENG WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN THIS ALT AND REACH AN ARPT. THE RPTR SAID THE KING POST INCURRED SLIGHT DAMAGE. THE RPTR STATED THE PWR COMPANY WAS ADVISED OF THE PWR LINE DAMAGE. THE RPTR SAID THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT RPTED TO THE FAA.

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.