Narrative:

Called approach and requested 2 ILS runway 7L low approachs. Due to busy flight school students; I was given multiple vectors and reduced speeds to look. First approach went well and was vectored west for the second approach. The yak had recent service by my a&P and the engine sounded fine. The second approach was delayed due to traffic and speed reduced to 90 KTS. At about the inner marker the engine suddenly ran very rough. I overflew the runway; gear and flaps up and the engine again cut out. The tower told me to fly the missed approach. I told them of the rough engine and requested an immediate right and climbing turn to return to ZZZ1. He did not respond; the tower frequency was very busy and told me to go to departure frequency. I did. The engine is now cutting out often. I told departure that needed an immediate climbing right turn. He responded; 'fly the missed approach course.' this would take me out over the ocean and away from both ZZZ and my home base ZZZ1. Told him 'unable' and why. I needed to gain altitude in case that the engine stopped completely. He was not very happy. I told him that if need be; that I would declare an emergency. He said that there was no traffic conflict and to fly direct ZZZ1 at 2000 ft which I did. As soon as I was on the ground (5 mi southwest of ZZZ) called the tower on the cell phone and told them that the plane was safely on the ground. The tower seemed to understand my decision and was just pleased to know. My a&P will examine and correct the engine problem on monday. This was an uneventful problem that could have been much worse had I not gotten the plane on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A YAK 52 PILOT REPORTS LANDING SAFELY WITH A ROUGH RUNNING ENG.

Narrative: CALLED APCH AND REQUESTED 2 ILS RWY 7L LOW APCHS. DUE TO BUSY FLT SCHOOL STUDENTS; I WAS GIVEN MULTIPLE VECTORS AND REDUCED SPDS TO LOOK. FIRST APCH WENT WELL AND WAS VECTORED W FOR THE SECOND APCH. THE YAK HAD RECENT SVC BY MY A&P AND THE ENG SOUNDED FINE. THE SECOND APCH WAS DELAYED DUE TO TFC AND SPD REDUCED TO 90 KTS. AT ABOUT THE INNER MARKER THE ENG SUDDENLY RAN VERY ROUGH. I OVERFLEW THE RWY; GEAR AND FLAPS UP AND THE ENG AGAIN CUT OUT. THE TWR TOLD ME TO FLY THE MISSED APCH. I TOLD THEM OF THE ROUGH ENG AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE R AND CLBING TURN TO RETURN TO ZZZ1. HE DID NOT RESPOND; THE TWR FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AND TOLD ME TO GO TO DEP FREQ. I DID. THE ENG IS NOW CUTTING OUT OFTEN. I TOLD DEP THAT NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE CLBING R TURN. HE RESPONDED; 'FLY THE MISSED APCH COURSE.' THIS WOULD TAKE ME OUT OVER THE OCEAN AND AWAY FROM BOTH ZZZ AND MY HOME BASE ZZZ1. TOLD HIM 'UNABLE' AND WHY. I NEEDED TO GAIN ALT IN CASE THAT THE ENG STOPPED COMPLETELY. HE WAS NOT VERY HAPPY. I TOLD HIM THAT IF NEED BE; THAT I WOULD DECLARE AN EMER. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND TO FLY DIRECT ZZZ1 AT 2000 FT WHICH I DID. AS SOON AS I WAS ON THE GND (5 MI SW OF ZZZ) CALLED THE TWR ON THE CELL PHONE AND TOLD THEM THAT THE PLANE WAS SAFELY ON THE GND. THE TWR SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND MY DECISION AND WAS JUST PLEASED TO KNOW. MY A&P WILL EXAMINE AND CORRECT THE ENG PROB ON MONDAY. THIS WAS AN UNEVENTFUL PROB THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE HAD I NOT GOTTEN THE PLANE ON THE GND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.