Narrative:

I performed the preflight for a solo flight to the practice area to review maneuvers for my stage check hours later. All was well including fuel samples, oil, etc. Flight instrument check and run-up all went good. Gauges were in the green at all times and engine ran smoothly. I entered into a commercial steep turn. 1/4 into the maneuver the engine 'sputtered.' I immediately confirmed my mixture was rich and put on my electric fuel pump as I noticed the gauge for fuel pressure was in the red region. Once in straight and level flight and the electric fuel pump on I had a regular fuel pressure reading of 5 psi. At that point my heading indicator became unusable and just continued circling. It would go faster clockwise in straight flight, but slowed down when climbing or descending. I then turned towards the airport to land. I found the setting that gave me the most fuel pressure and preceded inbound, however it still dipped into the red zone at times. In the last 10 mins of flight the fuel pressure gauge was in the red over 60% of the time. I called tower and informed them that I was 15 mi out with information with a low fuel pressure and inoperative heading indicator. Less than 2 mins later I tried again. I explained the situation again and got the reply 'standby.' after hearing that I explained the situation again, and told the controller that I needed to land. At this point I was 8 mi south when he responded with 'make l-hand 360 degrees for separation.' my flight instructor, was in another aircraft in the pattern and told me to declare an emergency if I felt the needed. Not wanting to turn away from the airport I flew direct to the airfield and declared an emergency and tower responded by telling all traffic to standby for emergency traffic. I came in to runway 30L at a 45 degree angle and made a quick left hand turn to get the aircraft on the ground. Once wheels touched down I reported so and the fire/emergency response team met me at taxiway V, short of taxiway B. I performed the after landing checklist and did not seem to be in danger, so I requested to taxi to the north ramp. I followed company to the ramp. Following me was the fire/emergency response team. Once getting out of the aircraft I gave my contact information to the airport individuals present.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28-161 PLT RPTED A 'SPUTTERING' ENG WHILE PERFORMING PRACTICE AIR MANEUVERS.

Narrative: I PERFORMED THE PREFLT FOR A SOLO FLT TO THE PRACTICE AREA TO REVIEW MANEUVERS FOR MY STAGE CHK HRS LATER. ALL WAS WELL INCLUDING FUEL SAMPLES, OIL, ETC. FLT INST CHK AND RUN-UP ALL WENT GOOD. GAUGES WERE IN THE GREEN AT ALL TIMES AND ENG RAN SMOOTHLY. I ENTERED INTO A COMMERCIAL STEEP TURN. 1/4 INTO THE MANEUVER THE ENG 'SPUTTERED.' I IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED MY MIXTURE WAS RICH AND PUT ON MY ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AS I NOTICED THE GAUGE FOR FUEL PRESSURE WAS IN THE RED REGION. ONCE IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT AND THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ON I HAD A REGULAR FUEL PRESSURE READING OF 5 PSI. AT THAT POINT MY HDG INDICATOR BECAME UNUSABLE AND JUST CONTINUED CIRCLING. IT WOULD GO FASTER CLOCKWISE IN STRAIGHT FLT, BUT SLOWED DOWN WHEN CLBING OR DSNDING. I THEN TURNED TOWARDS THE ARPT TO LAND. I FOUND THE SETTING THAT GAVE ME THE MOST FUEL PRESSURE AND PRECEDED INBOUND, HOWEVER IT STILL DIPPED INTO THE RED ZONE AT TIMES. IN THE LAST 10 MINS OF FLT THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS IN THE RED OVER 60% OF THE TIME. I CALLED TWR AND INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS 15 MI OUT WITH INFO WITH A LOW FUEL PRESSURE AND INOP HDG INDICATOR. LESS THAN 2 MINS LATER I TRIED AGAIN. I EXPLAINED THE SIT AGAIN AND GOT THE REPLY 'STANDBY.' AFTER HEARING THAT I EXPLAINED THE SIT AGAIN, AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT I NEEDED TO LAND. AT THIS POINT I WAS 8 MI S WHEN HE RESPONDED WITH 'MAKE L-HAND 360 DEGS FOR SEPARATION.' MY FLT INSTRUCTOR, WAS IN ANOTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN AND TOLD ME TO DECLARE AN EMER IF I FELT THE NEEDED. NOT WANTING TO TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT I FLEW DIRECT TO THE AIRFIELD AND DECLARED AN EMER AND TWR RESPONDED BY TELLING ALL TFC TO STANDBY FOR EMER TFC. I CAME IN TO RWY 30L AT A 45 DEG ANGLE AND MADE A QUICK L HAND TURN TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND. ONCE WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN I RPTED SO AND THE FIRE/EMER RESPONSE TEAM MET ME AT TXWY V, SHORT OF TXWY B. I PERFORMED THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST AND DID NOT SEEM TO BE IN DANGER, SO I REQUESTED TO TAXI TO THE N RAMP. I FOLLOWED COMPANY TO THE RAMP. FOLLOWING ME WAS THE FIRE/EMER RESPONSE TEAM. ONCE GETTING OUT OF THE ACFT I GAVE MY CONTACT INFO TO THE ARPT INDIVIDUALS PRESENT.

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.