Small aircraft pilot performs an off airport, on road landing as engine quits.

Attributes
ACN	179755
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : toa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	179755
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Descent out of 4500' for torrance airport. At 2000' noticed engine fluctuations as shown by tachometer, dropping to 1200 RPM from 2000 RPM. Checked mixture full rich, carburetor heat on, throttle forward. Played with throttle to try to regain power. Diverted to cpm. Determined unable to make cpm due to low altitude (1500' MSL). Idented off airport landing site (paved, level, dry, private road) and made forced landing. No damage to aircraft, occupants or property. Fuel blockage or starvation could have been cause of engine problems. If starvation, renters of aircraft should determine fuel burn in gph or pph of each aircraft the fly and use those figures instead of aircraft handbook figures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PERFORMS AN OFF ARPT, ON ROAD LNDG AS ENGINE QUITS.

Narrative: DSNT OUT OF 4500' FOR TORRANCE ARPT. AT 2000' NOTICED ENG FLUCTUATIONS AS SHOWN BY TACHOMETER, DROPPING TO 1200 RPM FROM 2000 RPM. CHKED MIXTURE FULL RICH, CARB HEAT ON, THROTTLE FORWARD. PLAYED WITH THROTTLE TO TRY TO REGAIN PWR. DIVERTED TO CPM. DETERMINED UNABLE TO MAKE CPM DUE TO LOW ALT (1500' MSL). IDENTED OFF ARPT LNDG SITE (PAVED, LEVEL, DRY, PVT ROAD) AND MADE FORCED LNDG. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT, OCCUPANTS OR PROPERTY. FUEL BLOCKAGE OR STARVATION COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSE OF ENG PROBS. IF STARVATION, RENTERS OF ACFT SHOULD DETERMINE FUEL BURN IN GPH OR PPH OF EACH ACFT THE FLY AND USE THOSE FIGURES INSTEAD OF ACFT HANDBOOK FIGURES.

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