Narrative:

During climb in IMC, a partial power loss occurred in the right engine. I requested a return to sby and received clearance. I did not declare an emergency. WX required an instrument approach. I asked for and received a clearance for the RNAV runway 5 approach. I was concerned that the power loss was caused by either an oil leak (turbocharger related) or an exhaust leak with the possibility of an engine fire. In the interest of expediency, I just intercepted the final approach course inside the IAP fix and proceeded inbound. I did not fly the approach as published. I did not get established on the approach but descended anyway. Fortunately the WX was good enough that I was able to attain VFR and proceed VFR to land. I was flying single pilot. The workload got extremely high. Because of the close proximity of the airport I had very little time to prepare, find the approach plate, setup the GPS, the result was that I became somewhat disoriented with regards to navigation. I used poor judgement by not declaring an emergency and by not making more use of the autoplt. I had turned it off at the beginning. A review of programming procedures of the GPS would have made it easier. I had some difficulty setting up the GPS for approach. I had to enter it twice to get it right. I also had trouble interping the information it presented. I am very familiar with this GPS, but I need to develop and practice procedures for quick airport/approach selection and page selection for most helpful navigation information. Ie, quick page selection to check position relative to the airport. While on approach and when navigating with reference to another fix, and selection of information fields that will give the most useful information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR IN THE #2 ENG.

Narrative: DURING CLB IN IMC, A PARTIAL PWR LOSS OCCURRED IN THE R ENG. I REQUESTED A RETURN TO SBY AND RECEIVED CLRNC. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. WX REQUIRED AN INST APCH. I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC FOR THE RNAV RWY 5 APCH. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PWR LOSS WAS CAUSED BY EITHER AN OIL LEAK (TURBOCHARGER RELATED) OR AN EXHAUST LEAK WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ENG FIRE. IN THE INTEREST OF EXPEDIENCY, I JUST INTERCEPTED THE FINAL APCH COURSE INSIDE THE IAP FIX AND PROCEEDED INBOUND. I DID NOT FLY THE APCH AS PUBLISHED. I DID NOT GET ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH BUT DSNDED ANYWAY. FORTUNATELY THE WX WAS GOOD ENOUGH THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTAIN VFR AND PROCEED VFR TO LAND. I WAS FLYING SINGLE PLT. THE WORKLOAD GOT EXTREMELY HIGH. BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF THE ARPT I HAD VERY LITTLE TIME TO PREPARE, FIND THE APCH PLATE, SETUP THE GPS, THE RESULT WAS THAT I BECAME SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED WITH REGARDS TO NAV. I USED POOR JUDGEMENT BY NOT DECLARING AN EMER AND BY NOT MAKING MORE USE OF THE AUTOPLT. I HAD TURNED IT OFF AT THE BEGINNING. A REVIEW OF PROGRAMMING PROCS OF THE GPS WOULD HAVE MADE IT EASIER. I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY SETTING UP THE GPS FOR APCH. I HAD TO ENTER IT TWICE TO GET IT RIGHT. I ALSO HAD TROUBLE INTERPING THE INFO IT PRESENTED. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS GPS, BUT I NEED TO DEVELOP AND PRACTICE PROCS FOR QUICK ARPT/APCH SELECTION AND PAGE SELECTION FOR MOST HELPFUL NAV INFO. IE, QUICK PAGE SELECTION TO CHK POS RELATIVE TO THE ARPT. WHILE ON APCH AND WHEN NAVING WITH REF TO ANOTHER FIX, AND SELECTION OF INFO FIELDS THAT WILL GIVE THE MOST USEFUL INFO.

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.