Small aircraft has momentary engine failure and declares an emergency.

Attributes
ACN	103468
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gal
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gal tower : abq
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 6300
ASRS Report	103468
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had a flight from golena, our maintenance base, to koyukuk, an airport with no facs, to deliver a repaired tire for another aircraft. I was outside in -35 degree F temperatures for 2 hours and was very cold. I ran my aircraft engine for 10 mins, 1 hour after landing to keep it warm. Cold temperatures tend to cause nose struts to go flat. Takeoff from koyukuk was normal but cruise flight was in a right wing low attitude because the nose strut was flat resulting in a failure of the nose steering to disconnect from the rudder. A loss of power occurred and lasted several seconds. On approach control frequency I said the word 'mayday' to get their attention, and advised them of a power loss. I have never used 'mayday' on the radio before, but I was very cold and the thought of a forced landing 10 mi from the airport was frightening. One revenue passenger was aboard this leg and the aircraft heater was hardly working at all. At the same time I switched from the right fuel tank which was 1/2 full to the left tank which was also 1/2 full and turned on the low boost pump. This restored power and approach and landing was normal. Approach control asked about my situation soon after I called. I replied that everything was ok now and that it was a precautionary call. I think this situation could have been prevented by: 1) having an inflated nose strut, 2) trying to fix the problem before calling mayday, 3) warmer temperatures, and 4) having the fuel selected to the higher tank even with sufficient fuel quantity in the other one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS MOMENTARY ENGINE FAILURE AND DECLARES AN EMERGENCY.

Narrative: I HAD A FLT FROM GOLENA, OUR MAINT BASE, TO KOYUKUK, AN ARPT WITH NO FACS, TO DELIVER A REPAIRED TIRE FOR ANOTHER ACFT. I WAS OUTSIDE IN -35 DEG F TEMPS FOR 2 HRS AND WAS VERY COLD. I RAN MY ACFT ENG FOR 10 MINS, 1 HR AFTER LNDG TO KEEP IT WARM. COLD TEMPS TEND TO CAUSE NOSE STRUTS TO GO FLAT. TKOF FROM KOYUKUK WAS NORMAL BUT CRUISE FLT WAS IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE BECAUSE THE NOSE STRUT WAS FLAT RESULTING IN A FAILURE OF THE NOSE STEERING TO DISCONNECT FROM THE RUDDER. A LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED AND LASTED SEVERAL SECS. ON APCH CTL FREQ I SAID THE WORD 'MAYDAY' TO GET THEIR ATTN, AND ADVISED THEM OF A PWR LOSS. I HAVE NEVER USED 'MAYDAY' ON THE RADIO BEFORE, BUT I WAS VERY COLD AND THE THOUGHT OF A FORCED LNDG 10 MI FROM THE ARPT WAS FRIGHTENING. ONE REVENUE PAX WAS ABOARD THIS LEG AND THE ACFT HEATER WAS HARDLY WORKING AT ALL. AT THE SAME TIME I SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WHICH WAS 1/2 FULL TO THE LEFT TANK WHICH WAS ALSO 1/2 FULL AND TURNED ON THE LOW BOOST PUMP. THIS RESTORED PWR AND APCH AND LNDG WAS NORMAL. APCH CTL ASKED ABOUT MY SITUATION SOON AFTER I CALLED. I REPLIED THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK NOW AND THAT IT WAS A PRECAUTIONARY CALL. I THINK THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY: 1) HAVING AN INFLATED NOSE STRUT, 2) TRYING TO FIX THE PROB BEFORE CALLING MAYDAY, 3) WARMER TEMPS, AND 4) HAVING THE FUEL SELECTED TO THE HIGHER TANK EVEN WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL QUANTITY IN THE OTHER ONE.

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.