Private pilot on IFR flight plan returned to origination airport due to a high temperature of 1 engi...

Attributes
ACN	276999
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cty
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 91 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 279
ASRS Report	276999
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Today my husband and I departed X28 in fl, flying IFR to csg. Approximately 45 mins into our flight at 6000 ft, we noticed a higher than normal exhaust gas temperature (egt) for cylinder #2. Normally, cylinder #2 is the hottest cylinder, however, a high egt can mean that a spark plug is fouled or that a magneto is bad. Temperatures on the other 5 cylinders were normal. We asked ATC for a return course back to X28 and advised that we might have a bad magneto. We switched to left and right magnetos and found that it was rough on the right magneto. We went for a lean mixture to full rich and all 6 cylinders showed normal egt and cylinder head temperatures. Except for the high egt on cylinder #2, when leaned, engine operation and sound were normal. A high egt for 1 cylinder indicates that 1 plug in that cylinder is not working, so we made an uneventful return flight to X28. After landing we realized that maybe the FARS would have require us to land at the nearest airport. Because I may have violated an far, I am submitting this report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN RETURNED TO ORIGINATION ARPT DUE TO A HIGH TEMP OF 1 ENG CYLINDER.

Narrative: TODAY MY HUSBAND AND I DEPARTED X28 IN FL, FLYING IFR TO CSG. APPROX 45 MINS INTO OUR FLT AT 6000 FT, WE NOTICED A HIGHER THAN NORMAL EXHAUST GAS TEMP (EGT) FOR CYLINDER #2. NORMALLY, CYLINDER #2 IS THE HOTTEST CYLINDER, HOWEVER, A HIGH EGT CAN MEAN THAT A SPARK PLUG IS FOULED OR THAT A MAGNETO IS BAD. TEMPS ON THE OTHER 5 CYLINDERS WERE NORMAL. WE ASKED ATC FOR A RETURN COURSE BACK TO X28 AND ADVISED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A BAD MAGNETO. WE SWITCHED TO L AND R MAGNETOS AND FOUND THAT IT WAS ROUGH ON THE R MAGNETO. WE WENT FOR A LEAN MIXTURE TO FULL RICH AND ALL 6 CYLINDERS SHOWED NORMAL EGT AND CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS. EXCEPT FOR THE HIGH EGT ON CYLINDER #2, WHEN LEANED, ENG OP AND SOUND WERE NORMAL. A HIGH EGT FOR 1 CYLINDER INDICATES THAT 1 PLUG IN THAT CYLINDER IS NOT WORKING, SO WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL RETURN FLT TO X28. AFTER LNDG WE REALIZED THAT MAYBE THE FARS WOULD HAVE REQUIRE US TO LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT. BECAUSE I MAY HAVE VIOLATED AN FAR, I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT.

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.

Private pilot on IFR flight plan returned to origination airport due to a high temperature of 1 engine cylinder.