Small aircraft has engine power loss. Makes precautionary landing.

Attributes
ACN	247111
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hya
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 55 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hya
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	247111
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

My wife and I departed provincetown, ma, about XA10 local time. We had topped off our fuel and checked it for water, etc. Chose not to fly directly west (for myzz airport) since I hate single engine flight over water. Instead, we flew the shoreline of cape cod. About 15 mi from hya, I experienced a power loss. I found that I was able to correct the problem initially with carburetor heat, however, whenever I pushed the carburetor heat control back in, the power loss resurfaced. It was obvious that I needed to land to check things out. I thought that it was probably really severe carburetor ice but I wanted to look inside the cowl just in case something else might be wrong (a loose linkage, etc). I called hya tower and told them of my problem. They cleared me to land. All was ok so I departed hya on my way. The trip concluded without incident. Lesson: carburetor ice is really unpredictable as the day was a beautiful ceiling and visibility unlimited summer day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ENG PWR LOSS. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED PROVINCETOWN, MA, ABOUT XA10 LCL TIME. WE HAD TOPPED OFF OUR FUEL AND CHKED IT FOR WATER, ETC. CHOSE NOT TO FLY DIRECTLY W (FOR MYZZ ARPT) SINCE I HATE SINGLE ENG FLT OVER WATER. INSTEAD, WE FLEW THE SHORELINE OF CAPE COD. ABOUT 15 MI FROM HYA, I EXPERIENCED A PWR LOSS. I FOUND THAT I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB INITIALLY WITH CARB HEAT, HOWEVER, WHENEVER I PUSHED THE CARB HEAT CTL BACK IN, THE PWR LOSS RESURFACED. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT I NEEDED TO LAND TO CHK THINGS OUT. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS PROBABLY REALLY SEVERE CARB ICE BUT I WANTED TO LOOK INSIDE THE COWL JUST IN CASE SOMETHING ELSE MIGHT BE WRONG (A LOOSE LINKAGE, ETC). I CALLED HYA TWR AND TOLD THEM OF MY PROB. THEY CLRED ME TO LAND. ALL WAS OK SO I DEPARTED HYA ON MY WAY. THE TRIP CONCLUDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. LESSON: CARB ICE IS REALLY UNPREDICTABLE AS THE DAY WAS A BEAUTIFUL CEILING AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED SUMMER DAY.

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.