Narrative:

Trip was planned as a pleasure trip in a privately owned cherokee 180. We flew IFR and due to extreme WX to the west of our intended course, we continually requested ATC assistance for vectors around WX. We were direct ZZZ then direct destination, when we encountered VMC conditions. At this point, we asked for vectors to short-cut ZZZ. As soon as we made the turn, we experienced slight power loss and were forced to begin descending. I ran through the troubleshoot checklist which included carburetor heat, magnetos cycled, mixture adjustment, fuel pump on, fuel selector switched, and other items on checklist. Nothing seemed to improve performance. After about 300 ft of altitude loss, we selected 'nearest' on the GPS to locate an airport to landed at. My copilot requested immediate vectors and advised of engine roughness. Just after that call, we experienced a loud bang from the engine followed by total power loss. We heard clanking sounds with the propeller windmilling, so we then ran the 'engine secure checklist.' we shut the engine down, trimmed out for best glide, and declared an emergency. ATC cleared us to land runway 15 with crash fire rescue equipment dispatched. As soon as we cut fuel to the engine, the propeller stopped an dour glide improved. Saw the airport beacon through the clouds and continued for what we planned as an orbiting approach over the runway. My co-pilot secured loose items and prepared the cabin for landing. I entered a right downwind at 2000 ft AGL. I then made one 360 degree turn which brought us down to 1000 ft AGL abeam the numbers which made for a simple no power landing. We touched down and rolled off the first taxiway. Our excellent CRM and overall immediate response to the power loss led to our success. We have many hours flying together, making it easier to delegate and divide tasks. It was a textbook scenario, combined with the right amount of luck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 MAKES AN EMER DIVERT AFTER EXPERIENCING A TOTAL ENG FAILURE.

Narrative: TRIP WAS PLANNED AS A PLEASURE TRIP IN A PRIVATELY OWNED CHEROKEE 180. WE FLEW IFR AND DUE TO EXTREME WX TO THE W OF OUR INTENDED COURSE, WE CONTINUALLY REQUESTED ATC ASSISTANCE FOR VECTORS AROUND WX. WE WERE DIRECT ZZZ THEN DIRECT DEST, WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED VMC CONDITIONS. AT THIS POINT, WE ASKED FOR VECTORS TO SHORT-CUT ZZZ. AS SOON AS WE MADE THE TURN, WE EXPERIENCED SLIGHT PWR LOSS AND WERE FORCED TO BEGIN DSNDING. I RAN THROUGH THE TROUBLESHOOT CHKLIST WHICH INCLUDED CARB HEAT, MAGNETOS CYCLED, MIXTURE ADJUSTMENT, FUEL PUMP ON, FUEL SELECTOR SWITCHED, AND OTHER ITEMS ON CHKLIST. NOTHING SEEMED TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE. AFTER ABOUT 300 FT OF ALT LOSS, WE SELECTED 'NEAREST' ON THE GPS TO LOCATE AN ARPT TO LANDED AT. MY COPLT REQUESTED IMMEDIATE VECTORS AND ADVISED OF ENG ROUGHNESS. JUST AFTER THAT CALL, WE EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG FROM THE ENG FOLLOWED BY TOTAL PWR LOSS. WE HEARD CLANKING SOUNDS WITH THE PROP WINDMILLING, SO WE THEN RAN THE 'ENG SECURE CHKLIST.' WE SHUT THE ENG DOWN, TRIMMED OUT FOR BEST GLIDE, AND DECLARED AN EMER. ATC CLRED US TO LAND RWY 15 WITH CFR DISPATCHED. AS SOON AS WE CUT FUEL TO THE ENG, THE PROP STOPPED AN DOUR GLIDE IMPROVED. SAW THE ARPT BEACON THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND CONTINUED FOR WHAT WE PLANNED AS AN ORBITING APCH OVER THE RWY. MY CO-PLT SECURED LOOSE ITEMS AND PREPARED THE CABIN FOR LNDG. I ENTERED A R DOWNWIND AT 2000 FT AGL. I THEN MADE ONE 360 DEG TURN WHICH BROUGHT US DOWN TO 1000 FT AGL ABEAM THE NUMBERS WHICH MADE FOR A SIMPLE NO PWR LNDG. WE TOUCHED DOWN AND ROLLED OFF THE FIRST TXWY. OUR EXCELLENT CRM AND OVERALL IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THE PWR LOSS LED TO OUR SUCCESS. WE HAVE MANY HRS FLYING TOGETHER, MAKING IT EASIER TO DELEGATE AND DIVIDE TASKS. IT WAS A TEXTBOOK SCENARIO, COMBINED WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LUCK.

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.