GA small aircraft emergency landing due engine failure.

Attributes
ACN	100260
Time
Date	198812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : t17 airport : iws
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	100260
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In 12/88 I was flying eastbound into houston weiser. Approximately 15 mi out from weiser my oil annunciator panel light came on. I noticed at that time my oil pressure gauge indicated pressure was nil. Because the engine temperature was in the normal operating range, I decided to attempt to continue my flight as planned to weiser. At approximately 10 mi out of weiser, my engine began running rough and began to cut out altogether. The engine cut out 3 different times, restarted each time after I worked the throttle and magneto switch. I realized after the first time the engine cut out that it was questionable whether the engine would continue operating long enough to reach houston weiser, and began planning an approach into west houston lakeside airport. I next called houston approach in order to determine an exact heading and distance to west houston lakeside. Houston approach provided me with the heading and distance and I made a safe landing at west houston lakeside. I subsequently was told the engine had 0# compression in 1 cylinder which was the probable cause of the loss of engine oil.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA EMERGENCY LNDG DUE ENGINE FAILURE.

Narrative: IN 12/88 I WAS FLYING EBND INTO HOUSTON WEISER. APPROX 15 MI OUT FROM WEISER MY OIL ANNUNCIATOR PANEL LIGHT CAME ON. I NOTICED AT THAT TIME MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE INDICATED PRESSURE WAS NIL. BECAUSE THE ENG TEMP WAS IN THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE, I DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE MY FLT AS PLANNED TO WEISER. AT APPROX 10 MI OUT OF WEISER, MY ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND BEGAN TO CUT OUT ALTOGETHER. THE ENG CUT OUT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES, RESTARTED EACH TIME AFTER I WORKED THE THROTTLE AND MAGNETO SWITCH. I REALIZED AFTER THE FIRST TIME THE ENG CUT OUT THAT IT WAS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER THE ENG WOULD CONTINUE OPERATING LONG ENOUGH TO REACH HOUSTON WEISER, AND BEGAN PLANNING AN APCH INTO WEST HOUSTON LAKESIDE ARPT. I NEXT CALLED HOUSTON APCH IN ORDER TO DETERMINE AN EXACT HDG AND DISTANCE TO WEST HOUSTON LAKESIDE. HOUSTON APCH PROVIDED ME WITH THE HDG AND DISTANCE AND I MADE A SAFE LNDG AT WEST HOUSTON LAKESIDE. I SUBSEQUENTLY WAS TOLD THE ENG HAD 0# COMPRESSION IN 1 CYLINDER WHICH WAS THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ENG OIL.

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