Narrative:

Departed boulder (1v5), destination colorado springs. About 18 mi from colorado springs, the engine began to sputter, and lose power. As I was on frequency with colorado springs approach, I alerted them to the situation. After changing the aircraft altitude slightly, the engine began to run fine. 6 mi later, it began to sputter much worse, and intermittently was producing almost no power. I was given the options of meadow lakes (10 mi) or air force academy (4 mi). Due to the fact that the engine was only producing power about 25% of the time, that I was losing altitude, that I was over good dirt roads, and that there were housing developments and hwys between me and those airports, I elected to land on a dirt road. The landing was uneventful. Upon draining fuel from the 4 drains (1 each of 2 tanks, rear fuselage and sump at engine) some water was found. I continued to drain until I was sure there was no more water in the system. I then secured 10 gallons of fuel from the airport and added it to the tanks. I was then able to take off from the dirt road and fly to colorado springs airport. Notes: 1) no water was found when draining during preflight in boulder. 2) engine was still running upon landing on dirt road. 3) after precautionary landing, there was still fuel in the tanks and fuel lines. Fuel and water was found at all 4 drain points.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME BELLANCA PVT PLT IS MANDATED TO MAKE AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN HIS ENG BEGINS TO RUN ROUGH 12 NM FROM COS.

Narrative: DEPARTED BOULDER (1V5), DEST COLORADO SPRINGS. ABOUT 18 MI FROM COLORADO SPRINGS, THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER, AND LOSE PWR. AS I WAS ON FREQ WITH COLORADO SPRINGS APCH, I ALERTED THEM TO THE SIT. AFTER CHANGING THE ACFT ALT SLIGHTLY, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN FINE. 6 MI LATER, IT BEGAN TO SPUTTER MUCH WORSE, AND INTERMITTENTLY WAS PRODUCING ALMOST NO PWR. I WAS GIVEN THE OPTIONS OF MEADOW LAKES (10 MI) OR AIR FORCE ACADEMY (4 MI). DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ENG WAS ONLY PRODUCING PWR ABOUT 25% OF THE TIME, THAT I WAS LOSING ALT, THAT I WAS OVER GOOD DIRT ROADS, AND THAT THERE WERE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND HWYS BTWN ME AND THOSE ARPTS, I ELECTED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON DRAINING FUEL FROM THE 4 DRAINS (1 EACH OF 2 TANKS, REAR FUSELAGE AND SUMP AT ENG) SOME WATER WAS FOUND. I CONTINUED TO DRAIN UNTIL I WAS SURE THERE WAS NO MORE WATER IN THE SYS. I THEN SECURED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE ARPT AND ADDED IT TO THE TANKS. I WAS THEN ABLE TO TAKE OFF FROM THE DIRT ROAD AND FLY TO COLORADO SPRINGS ARPT. NOTES: 1) NO WATER WAS FOUND WHEN DRAINING DURING PREFLT IN BOULDER. 2) ENG WAS STILL RUNNING UPON LNDG ON DIRT ROAD. 3) AFTER PRECAUTIONARY LNDG, THERE WAS STILL FUEL IN THE TANKS AND FUEL LINES. FUEL AND WATER WAS FOUND AT ALL 4 DRAIN POINTS.

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.