Narrative:

As I was setting up in cruise at 7000 the engine started running rough. I made the mixture rich and before I could do anything else; I experienced a loss of power. I set the plane in best glide confign; selected interstate xy east as landing site because the wbound had heavier traffic and then called ZZZ approach and informed them about my engine being out. They suggested that I try for an airport about 7 mi away; but I declined. They offered a county road; but due to proximity of power lines; I declined and selected the interstate. In the meantime; I picked up the checklist and started going through emergency procedures and tried 2 restarts; but it did not restart. About 200 ft AGL; I lowered the gear and started setting up to fit in between 2 cars right behind 2 semis. I held the plane aloft for as long as I safely could without stalling and the rear car figured out what was going on and gave me space to land. I landed the plane and informed the controllers that I was safely on the ground and called my partner who contacted a mechanic to come out and look at the plane. The mechanic checked and sumped the fuel; which did not have any water. He checked and adjusted the mixture a little to make it run richer and requested the FAA to allow the plane to be flown back. My partner and I then flew the plane with gear down at about 3000 ft; and made it without further incidents. I will have the mechanics check the plane completely first thing in the morning. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter believes that induction ice was the culprit in this incident as no other definitive cause has been found.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PILOT REPORTS POWER LOSS AT 7000 FEET AND SUCCESSFUL DEAD STICK LANDING ON INTERSTATE.

Narrative: AS I WAS SETTING UP IN CRUISE AT 7000 THE ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. I MADE THE MIXTURE RICH AND BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING ELSE; I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF PWR. I SET THE PLANE IN BEST GLIDE CONFIGN; SELECTED INTERSTATE XY E AS LNDG SITE BECAUSE THE WBOUND HAD HEAVIER TFC AND THEN CALLED ZZZ APCH AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT MY ENG BEING OUT. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I TRY FOR AN ARPT ABOUT 7 MI AWAY; BUT I DECLINED. THEY OFFERED A COUNTY ROAD; BUT DUE TO PROX OF PWR LINES; I DECLINED AND SELECTED THE INTERSTATE. IN THE MEANTIME; I PICKED UP THE CHKLIST AND STARTED GOING THROUGH EMER PROCS AND TRIED 2 RESTARTS; BUT IT DID NOT RESTART. ABOUT 200 FT AGL; I LOWERED THE GEAR AND STARTED SETTING UP TO FIT IN BTWN 2 CARS RIGHT BEHIND 2 SEMIS. I HELD THE PLANE ALOFT FOR AS LONG AS I SAFELY COULD WITHOUT STALLING AND THE REAR CAR FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND GAVE ME SPACE TO LAND. I LANDED THE PLANE AND INFORMED THE CTLRS THAT I WAS SAFELY ON THE GND AND CALLED MY PARTNER WHO CONTACTED A MECH TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT THE PLANE. THE MECH CHKED AND SUMPED THE FUEL; WHICH DID NOT HAVE ANY WATER. HE CHKED AND ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE A LITTLE TO MAKE IT RUN RICHER AND REQUESTED THE FAA TO ALLOW THE PLANE TO BE FLOWN BACK. MY PARTNER AND I THEN FLEW THE PLANE WITH GEAR DOWN AT ABOUT 3000 FT; AND MADE IT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENTS. I WILL HAVE THE MECHS CHK THE PLANE COMPLETELY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR BELIEVES THAT INDUCTION ICE WAS THE CULPRIT IN THIS INCIDENT AS NO OTHER DEFINITIVE CAUSE HAS BEEN FOUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.