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A C150 in cruise at 4000 ft experiences loss of power and diverts due to 2 totally fouled spark plugs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 419189 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sjb |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 tower : ewr |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 419189 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I was PIC and an instrument instructor with student on an IFR training flight. Immediately after being vectored and cleared direct on navigation to sax VOR, the engine lost power. Carburetor heat restored power for about 1 min. Then the RPM dropped to about 1500, insufficient to maintain altitude. It was dark, I looked out the right side of the plane and runway lights went on directly below. Losing altitude and unable to restore RPM, we immediately headed toward the airport. Approach advised us of traffic at 3000 ft, which we saw since it was lighted like a christmas tree. Advised approach of engine trouble, runway beneath us, and canceled IFR to switch to unicom to insure lights on and advise any traffic of our difficulty. Controller gave us phone number to call on landing which delayed our unicom announcement. Airport had lights on request only, so we were fortunate. Subsequent to landing, 2 totally lead fouled plugs were found. Only 60 hours since 100 hour inspection and in spite of aggressive leaning. Had we not seen runway lights and been over an airport would have declared an emergency and hoped.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C150 IN CRUISE AT 4000 FT EXPERIENCES LOSS OF PWR AND DIVERTS DUE TO 2 TOTALLY FOULED SPARK PLUGS.
Narrative: I WAS PIC AND AN INST INSTRUCTOR WITH STUDENT ON AN IFR TRAINING FLT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING VECTORED AND CLRED DIRECT ON NAV TO SAX VOR, THE ENG LOST PWR. CARB HEAT RESTORED PWR FOR ABOUT 1 MIN. THEN THE RPM DROPPED TO ABOUT 1500, INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ALT. IT WAS DARK, I LOOKED OUT THE R SIDE OF THE PLANE AND RWY LIGHTS WENT ON DIRECTLY BELOW. LOSING ALT AND UNABLE TO RESTORE RPM, WE IMMEDIATELY HEADED TOWARD THE ARPT. APCH ADVISED US OF TFC AT 3000 FT, WHICH WE SAW SINCE IT WAS LIGHTED LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. ADVISED APCH OF ENG TROUBLE, RWY BENEATH US, AND CANCELED IFR TO SWITCH TO UNICOM TO INSURE LIGHTS ON AND ADVISE ANY TFC OF OUR DIFFICULTY. CTLR GAVE US PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON LNDG WHICH DELAYED OUR UNICOM ANNOUNCEMENT. ARPT HAD LIGHTS ON REQUEST ONLY, SO WE WERE FORTUNATE. SUBSEQUENT TO LNDG, 2 TOTALLY LEAD FOULED PLUGS WERE FOUND. ONLY 60 HRS SINCE 100 HR INSPECTION AND IN SPITE OF AGGRESSIVE LEANING. HAD WE NOT SEEN RWY LIGHTS AND BEEN OVER AN ARPT WOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER AND HOPED.
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.