M20 pilot reports off airport landing after engine begins to run rough; causing minor damage.

Attributes
ACN	779678
Time
Date	200803
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 K (231)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	779678
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Airplane had been worked on by certified mechanic because of engine cutting out and missing. The mechanic was working on the annual and was pulled off for another job and had not returned to finish the annual. The fuel system was sent off and rebuilt as well as the gas tanks and the fuel selector switch. The plane flew well and the mechanic said the ship was airworthy. I took a cross country flight and on the way home the ship began to run rough and I decided to set the plane down off field and damaged the nosewheel. The incident was checked by the FAA and they declared that it was not an accident; but an incident. The annual was not completed on the air ship and the FAA will cite me for the infraction. The day after the flight I got an emergency airworthiness directive on the plane #2008 06 51 that covered the same issue that I had with the airplane. The annual was underway but was not complete; so I was at fault.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20 PILOT REPORTS OFF ARPT LANDING AFTER ENGINE BEGINS TO RUN ROUGH; CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE.

Narrative: AIRPLANE HAD BEEN WORKED ON BY CERTIFIED MECH BECAUSE OF ENG CUTTING OUT AND MISSING. THE MECH WAS WORKING ON THE ANNUAL AND WAS PULLED OFF FOR ANOTHER JOB AND HAD NOT RETURNED TO FINISH THE ANNUAL. THE FUEL SYS WAS SENT OFF AND REBUILT AS WELL AS THE GAS TANKS AND THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH. THE PLANE FLEW WELL AND THE MECH SAID THE SHIP WAS AIRWORTHY. I TOOK A XCOUNTRY FLT AND ON THE WAY HOME THE SHIP BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND I DECIDED TO SET THE PLANE DOWN OFF FIELD AND DAMAGED THE NOSEWHEEL. THE INCIDENT WAS CHKED BY THE FAA AND THEY DECLARED THAT IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT; BUT AN INCIDENT. THE ANNUAL WAS NOT COMPLETED ON THE AIR SHIP AND THE FAA WILL CITE ME FOR THE INFRACTION. THE DAY AFTER THE FLT I GOT AN EMER AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THE PLANE #2008 06 51 THAT COVERED THE SAME ISSUE THAT I HAD WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE ANNUAL WAS UNDERWAY BUT WAS NOT COMPLETE; SO I WAS AT FAULT.

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.