Private pilot report of engine failure during straight in approach.

Attributes
ACN	302482
Time
Date	199504
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fxe
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 243 flight time type : 16
ASRS Report	302482
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On apr/xx/95 I was PIC of a 1962 cessna 172. I was on my way back from marsh harbour, bahamas to fort lauderdale executive airport at a cruise altitude of 8500 ft MSL, VFR. When reaching cruise altitude I noticed a slight roughness from the engine, I releaned the engine with the egt to peak plus 50 degrees and also rechked that the fuel selector was on both tanks. When reaching fxe airspace the right fuel tank showed between 1/4 to 1/2 full and the left fuel tank showed between empty 1/4. I contacted fxe tower for clearance to the traffic pattern and was told to enter a right base to runway 26. Before I entered the right base I heard a piper aztec calling fxe tower 5 mi east for runway 26. When I entered the right base for runway 26 I noticed the piper aztec off my left and entered a 360 degree turn to avoid the aztec. The tower then reclred me to fly east and the controller would call my base. I flew east for approximately 6 mi (2 mi off the coast) then turned the right base and then on final for runway 26. At the time the tower cleared me to land, I was on a 3-4 mi final. Shortly after that I lost power on the engine, I checked to make sure that the fuel pump was on and the carburetor heat was on. I advanced the throttle several times and the engine never regained power.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT RPT OF ENG FAILURE DURING STRAIGHT IN APCH.

Narrative: ON APR/XX/95 I WAS PIC OF A 1962 CESSNA 172. I WAS ON MY WAY BACK FROM MARSH HARBOUR, BAHAMAS TO FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE ARPT AT A CRUISE ALT OF 8500 FT MSL, VFR. WHEN REACHING CRUISE ALT I NOTICED A SLIGHT ROUGHNESS FROM THE ENG, I RELEANED THE ENG WITH THE EGT TO PEAK PLUS 50 DEGS AND ALSO RECHKED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON BOTH TANKS. WHEN REACHING FXE AIRSPACE THE R FUEL TANK SHOWED BTWN 1/4 TO 1/2 FULL AND THE L FUEL TANK SHOWED BTWN EMPTY 1/4. I CONTACTED FXE TWR FOR CLRNC TO THE TFC PATTERN AND WAS TOLD TO ENTER A R BASE TO RWY 26. BEFORE I ENTERED THE R BASE I HEARD A PIPER AZTEC CALLING FXE TWR 5 MI E FOR RWY 26. WHEN I ENTERED THE R BASE FOR RWY 26 I NOTICED THE PIPER AZTEC OFF MY L AND ENTERED A 360 DEG TURN TO AVOID THE AZTEC. THE TWR THEN RECLRED ME TO FLY E AND THE CTLR WOULD CALL MY BASE. I FLEW E FOR APPROX 6 MI (2 MI OFF THE COAST) THEN TURNED THE R BASE AND THEN ON FINAL FOR RWY 26. AT THE TIME THE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND, I WAS ON A 3-4 MI FINAL. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I LOST PWR ON THE ENG, I CHKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS ON AND THE CARB HEAT WAS ON. I ADVANCED THE THROTTLE SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ENG NEVER REGAINED PWR.

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.