C172 instructor and student had engine failure and made an emergency landing at a military field.

Attributes
ACN	553640
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bab.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mcc.tracon tower : bab.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1550 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	553640
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

IFR training flight with student from cameron park (O61) to chico (controller in charge). Filed IFR, took off XA30, flew to controller in charge, flew 2 approachs, canceled IFR after first approach. Departed controller in charge, picked up IFR flight plan clearance (prefiled) back to cameron park. Approximately 30 mi from controller in charge, at 7000 ft, the engine had a loss of power for about 3 seconds. Approximately 1 min later, the engine lost power again and again until it was not developing any power. The emergency checklist was performed and the problem continued. We asked ATC for a landing at beale, declared an emergency. Continued troubleshooting, considered a landing at marysville (we decided we could not make marysville). Landed at beale (bab). Contacted plane owner and owner's a&P. A&P requested a full power runup, and various other inspections. A&P at beale observed runup, removed cowling, inspected aircraft. No problems were found. Personnel at beale as well as owner requested the aircraft be flown off the field (removed). Calculated short field takeoff with 12000 ft runway to assure a safe landing if any engine problems arose. Decided to fly aircraft off the AFB to lincoln (request from owner, original thought was to marysville) by climbing in a box pattern over bab to 5000 ft which would enable a glide to marysville/lincoln). Performed 2 high speed taxies on runway before takeoff. All was ok. Took off, climbed to 5000 ft in box pattern over bab, departed to lincoln, landed at lincoln with no engine problems. Parked aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the instructor stopped renting this owner's aircraft. She considers that the owner and his mechanic did not maintain their 2 aircraft in an airworthy condition. Continuing serious problems are never really fixed. The first thing the instructor did was apply carburetor heat. It remained on the entire time. The owner's mechanic sent the carburetor to be overhauled, but never determined that this was the problem. The reporter has not, and will not, fly this aircraft again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT HAD ENG FAILURE AND MADE AN EMER LNDG AT A MIL FIELD.

Narrative: IFR TRAINING FLT WITH STUDENT FROM CAMERON PARK (O61) TO CHICO (CIC). FILED IFR, TOOK OFF XA30, FLEW TO CIC, FLEW 2 APCHS, CANCELED IFR AFTER FIRST APCH. DEPARTED CIC, PICKED UP IFR FLT PLAN CLRNC (PREFILED) BACK TO CAMERON PARK. APPROX 30 MI FROM CIC, AT 7000 FT, THE ENG HAD A LOSS OF PWR FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. APPROX 1 MIN LATER, THE ENG LOST PWR AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL IT WAS NOT DEVELOPING ANY PWR. THE EMER CHKLIST WAS PERFORMED AND THE PROB CONTINUED. WE ASKED ATC FOR A LNDG AT BEALE, DECLARED AN EMER. CONTINUED TROUBLESHOOTING, CONSIDERED A LNDG AT MARYSVILLE (WE DECIDED WE COULD NOT MAKE MARYSVILLE). LANDED AT BEALE (BAB). CONTACTED PLANE OWNER AND OWNER'S A&P. A&P REQUESTED A FULL PWR RUNUP, AND VARIOUS OTHER INSPECTIONS. A&P AT BEALE OBSERVED RUNUP, REMOVED COWLING, INSPECTED ACFT. NO PROBS WERE FOUND. PERSONNEL AT BEALE AS WELL AS OWNER REQUESTED THE ACFT BE FLOWN OFF THE FIELD (REMOVED). CALCULATED SHORT FIELD TKOF WITH 12000 FT RWY TO ASSURE A SAFE LNDG IF ANY ENG PROBS AROSE. DECIDED TO FLY ACFT OFF THE AFB TO LINCOLN (REQUEST FROM OWNER, ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS TO MARYSVILLE) BY CLBING IN A BOX PATTERN OVER BAB TO 5000 FT WHICH WOULD ENABLE A GLIDE TO MARYSVILLE/LINCOLN). PERFORMED 2 HIGH SPD TAXIES ON RWY BEFORE TKOF. ALL WAS OK. TOOK OFF, CLBED TO 5000 FT IN BOX PATTERN OVER BAB, DEPARTED TO LINCOLN, LANDED AT LINCOLN WITH NO ENG PROBS. PARKED ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE INSTRUCTOR STOPPED RENTING THIS OWNER'S ACFT. SHE CONSIDERS THAT THE OWNER AND HIS MECH DID NOT MAINTAIN THEIR 2 ACFT IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. CONTINUING SERIOUS PROBS ARE NEVER REALLY FIXED. THE FIRST THING THE INSTRUCTOR DID WAS APPLY CARB HEAT. IT REMAINED ON THE ENTIRE TIME. THE OWNER'S MECH SENT THE CARB TO BE OVERHAULED, BUT NEVER DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS THE PROB. THE RPTR HAS NOT, AND WILL NOT, FLY THIS ACFT AGAIN.

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.