Precautionary off airport landing made when small aircraft engine starts running rough with magneto ...

Attributes
ACN	251508
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	251508
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Local pleasure flight, 2000 ft cruise. I developed a vibration, checked oil pressure and magnetos. I found an erratic magneto drop on left magneto. Rather than returning to my home base (spinks airport) I elected to land in a large field and check the problem. I found a loose 'P' lead on the left magneto. I left the aircraft, walked about 2 mi to find some tools. Upon returning, I found the sheriff and owner of property (1 hour later). I explained the problem, (owner very irate). The sheriff was very calm and said if the owner didn't have any complaints it was ok for me to leave. I repaired the 'P' lead, took off and returned to spinks. When I returned home, my wife informed me the sheriff's department had called and said my airplane was in a field at lillian, tx, and wanted to know what it was doing there. She did not know what was going on and could not give them any answers. That's the last I've heard from anyone. (I am an a&P and work on my own aircraft).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG MADE WHEN SMA ENG STARTS RUNNING ROUGH WITH MAGNETO DROP ON 1 MAGNETO.

Narrative: LCL PLEASURE FLT, 2000 FT CRUISE. I DEVELOPED A VIBRATION, CHKED OIL PRESSURE AND MAGNETOS. I FOUND AN ERRATIC MAGNETO DROP ON L MAGNETO. RATHER THAN RETURNING TO MY HOME BASE (SPINKS ARPT) I ELECTED TO LAND IN A LARGE FIELD AND CHK THE PROB. I FOUND A LOOSE 'P' LEAD ON THE L MAGNETO. I LEFT THE ACFT, WALKED ABOUT 2 MI TO FIND SOME TOOLS. UPON RETURNING, I FOUND THE SHERIFF AND OWNER OF PROPERTY (1 HR LATER). I EXPLAINED THE PROB, (OWNER VERY IRATE). THE SHERIFF WAS VERY CALM AND SAID IF THE OWNER DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS IT WAS OK FOR ME TO LEAVE. I REPAIRED THE 'P' LEAD, TOOK OFF AND RETURNED TO SPINKS. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, MY WIFE INFORMED ME THE SHERIFF'S DEPT HAD CALLED AND SAID MY AIRPLANE WAS IN A FIELD AT LILLIAN, TX, AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS DOING THERE. SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND COULD NOT GIVE THEM ANY ANSWERS. THAT'S THE LAST I'VE HEARD FROM ANYONE. (I AM AN A&P AND WORK ON MY OWN ACFT).

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.

Precautionary off airport landing made when small aircraft engine starts running rough with magneto drop on 1 magneto.