Lancair 4P engine failure. A continental tsio 550B with an electronic ignition system fails when pilot enters clouds at FL270. After a power off descent to 8500 ft, engine restarts and is normal to landing.

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Attributes
ACN	401569
Time
Date	199805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sun
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc tower : prc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time type : 330
ASRS Report	401569
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Entered the clouds at FL270 and after 15 mins the manifold pressure dropped and we couldn't hold altitude. Informed center (ZLC) and got lower assignment, which the power wouldn't hold. Finally declared an emergency and informed center that I would have to continue descent and land in sun valley without power. Upon reaching 8500 ft, we broke out and became visual. The engine had full power, but no manifold pressure indication. I decided at that point to continue flight because I thought it was an instrument failure. We flew on to burley, identification, and landed because of deteriorating WX at lower level. After landing, I determined that I had a magneto failure and the static buildup on the air frame in the clouds affected the electronic ignition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANCAIR 4P ENG FAILURE. A CONTINENTAL TSIO 550B WITH AN ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYS FAILS WHEN PLT ENTERS CLOUDS AT FL270. AFTER A PWR OFF DSCNT TO 8500 FT, ENG RESTARTS AND IS NORMAL TO LNDG.

Narrative: ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT FL270 AND AFTER 15 MINS THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED AND WE COULDN'T HOLD ALT. INFORMED CTR (ZLC) AND GOT LOWER ASSIGNMENT, WHICH THE PWR WOULDN'T HOLD. FINALLY DECLARED AN EMER AND INFORMED CTR THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE DSCNT AND LAND IN SUN VALLEY WITHOUT PWR. UPON REACHING 8500 FT, WE BROKE OUT AND BECAME VISUAL. THE ENG HAD FULL PWR, BUT NO MANIFOLD PRESSURE INDICATION. I DECIDED AT THAT POINT TO CONTINUE FLT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS AN INST FAILURE. WE FLEW ON TO BURLEY, ID, AND LANDED BECAUSE OF DETERIORATING WX AT LOWER LEVEL. AFTER LNDG, I DETERMINED THAT I HAD A MAGNETO FAILURE AND THE STATIC BUILDUP ON THE AIR FRAME IN THE CLOUDS AFFECTED THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION.

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.