Narrative:

I departed carbondale and proceeded to the south practice area. As this was somewhat crowded with other aircraft, I followed the mississippi river floodplain up to the northwest and made sure to stay near the edge of our practice area to avoid other aircraft in the area. At the 1 hour point, I proceeded to the full-throttle break-in period on the aircraft. I was in this condition, approximately 2-3 mi southeast of chester, il, when the problem began. The initial indication of trouble was the windshield was covered with oil. I lost a good amount of power, and black smoke began to fill the cockpit. I turned to the northwest as I had seen perryville airport a few mins earlier. At this point, the reflection in the windshield appeared to be flames (I later realized it was the sun, but the smoke and lack of visibility threw me off). I then declared mayday first on mdh tower frequency and then, when it appeared they were not receiving me, I repeated my call on 121.5 while monitoring 125.35 (mdh tower). It was on 121.5 that an airline flight was able to relay my call to ATC. I later also learned that a private pilot flying a part 141 flight lesson on C172 also heard my transmission on 125.35 and relayed the message to tower. With the perceived fire, I thought I would have to put down on the field -- which is what I initially stated in my call and lead to some confusion regarding my position. As I pushed the nose down and the smoke cleared out (due to me opening the window), I realized the fire was a reflection from the sun. I then decided to try to make perryville a few mi off my nose. I added mixture to gain some power back, proceeded to the airport and secured the engine when I had the airport made. I had enough speed to clear the runway at which point I secured the aircraft at an FBO facility and began contacting the various organizations that needed to hear form me by phone. After looking at the aircraft from the ground, it would appear as if the crank shaft seal on the front of the engine failed during the full power portion of the flight. This was evident as the oil spillage began at the front tip of the cowling and extended all the way back and around the nose of the aircraft. It would appear as if the actions I took were appropriate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER LNDG AFTER MAYDAY DECLARATION IN A C172 ON AN ENG FLT TEST WHEN NEAR NON TWR ARPT OF K02, IL.

Narrative: I DEPARTED CARBONDALE AND PROCEEDED TO THE SOUTH PRACTICE AREA. AS THIS WAS SOMEWHAT CROWDED WITH OTHER ACFT, I FOLLOWED THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOODPLAIN UP TO THE NW AND MADE SURE TO STAY NEAR THE EDGE OF OUR PRACTICE AREA TO AVOID OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. AT THE 1 HR POINT, I PROCEEDED TO THE FULL-THROTTLE BREAK-IN PERIOD ON THE ACFT. I WAS IN THIS CONDITION, APPROX 2-3 MI SE OF CHESTER, IL, WHEN THE PROB BEGAN. THE INITIAL INDICATION OF TROUBLE WAS THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH OIL. I LOST A GOOD AMOUNT OF PWR, AND BLACK SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE COCKPIT. I TURNED TO THE NW AS I HAD SEEN PERRYVILLE ARPT A FEW MINS EARLIER. AT THIS POINT, THE REFLECTION IN THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED TO BE FLAMES (I LATER REALIZED IT WAS THE SUN, BUT THE SMOKE AND LACK OF VISIBILITY THREW ME OFF). I THEN DECLARED MAYDAY FIRST ON MDH TWR FREQ AND THEN, WHEN IT APPEARED THEY WERE NOT RECEIVING ME, I REPEATED MY CALL ON 121.5 WHILE MONITORING 125.35 (MDH TWR). IT WAS ON 121.5 THAT AN AIRLINE FLT WAS ABLE TO RELAY MY CALL TO ATC. I LATER ALSO LEARNED THAT A PVT PLT FLYING A PART 141 FLT LESSON ON C172 ALSO HEARD MY XMISSION ON 125.35 AND RELAYED THE MESSAGE TO TWR. WITH THE PERCEIVED FIRE, I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO PUT DOWN ON THE FIELD -- WHICH IS WHAT I INITIALLY STATED IN MY CALL AND LEAD TO SOME CONFUSION REGARDING MY POS. AS I PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN AND THE SMOKE CLRED OUT (DUE TO ME OPENING THE WINDOW), I REALIZED THE FIRE WAS A REFLECTION FROM THE SUN. I THEN DECIDED TO TRY TO MAKE PERRYVILLE A FEW MI OFF MY NOSE. I ADDED MIXTURE TO GAIN SOME PWR BACK, PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT AND SECURED THE ENG WHEN I HAD THE ARPT MADE. I HAD ENOUGH SPD TO CLR THE RWY AT WHICH POINT I SECURED THE ACFT AT AN FBO FACILITY AND BEGAN CONTACTING THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEEDED TO HEAR FORM ME BY PHONE. AFTER LOOKING AT THE ACFT FROM THE GND, IT WOULD APPEAR AS IF THE CRANK SHAFT SEAL ON THE FRONT OF THE ENG FAILED DURING THE FULL PWR PORTION OF THE FLT. THIS WAS EVIDENT AS THE OIL SPILLAGE BEGAN AT THE FRONT TIP OF THE COWLING AND EXTENDED ALL THE WAY BACK AND AROUND THE NOSE OF THE ACFT. IT WOULD APPEAR AS IF THE ACTIONS I TOOK WERE APPROPRIATE.

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.