C182 loses power, makes precautionary off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	431773
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : e14.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	431773
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After dropping skydivers at 9500 ft AGL, a steep uncoord spiral was entered too rapidly lose altitude. At approximately 1000 ft AGL the spiral was discontinued and a forward slip applied as a 45 degree entry to a left downwind leg. This downwind leg was close to the runway and was set up for a short approach. Because other traffic on final was slower than anticipated, the downwind leg was extended. About 1/3 mi from the runway at approximately 400 ft AGL, the engine quit making power, an immediate turn to the runway was made and a glide established. It became obvious that some trees off the end of the runway would not be cleared and an alternate landing site was selected. The alternate site required a right 120 degree turn. After making the right turn just before touchdown the engine began making power. A precautionary landing was made off airport. Fuel quantity was checked and approximately 8 gallons remained in the right tank, the left tank was less than 1 gallon. The unusable fuel for this aircraft is listed as 5 gallons. Fuel was added and the aircraft flown to the airport. I suspect fuel was unported by prolonged uncoord flight and low fuel levels. I recommend no prolonged uncoord flight below 1500 ft AGL. A contributing factor also was a delayed jump run due to other traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 LOSES PWR, MAKES PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER DROPPING SKYDIVERS AT 9500 FT AGL, A STEEP UNCOORD SPIRAL WAS ENTERED TOO RAPIDLY LOSE ALT. AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL THE SPIRAL WAS DISCONTINUED AND A FORWARD SLIP APPLIED AS A 45 DEG ENTRY TO A L DOWNWIND LEG. THIS DOWNWIND LEG WAS CLOSE TO THE RWY AND WAS SET UP FOR A SHORT APCH. BECAUSE OTHER TFC ON FINAL WAS SLOWER THAN ANTICIPATED, THE DOWNWIND LEG WAS EXTENDED. ABOUT 1/3 MI FROM THE RWY AT APPROX 400 FT AGL, THE ENG QUIT MAKING PWR, AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE RWY WAS MADE AND A GLIDE ESTABLISHED. IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT SOME TREES OFF THE END OF THE RWY WOULD NOT BE CLRED AND AN ALTERNATE LNDG SITE WAS SELECTED. THE ALTERNATE SITE REQUIRED A R 120 DEG TURN. AFTER MAKING THE R TURN JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THE ENG BEGAN MAKING PWR. A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS MADE OFF ARPT. FUEL QUANTITY WAS CHKED AND APPROX 8 GALLONS REMAINED IN THE R TANK, THE L TANK WAS LESS THAN 1 GALLON. THE UNUSABLE FUEL FOR THIS ACFT IS LISTED AS 5 GALLONS. FUEL WAS ADDED AND THE ACFT FLOWN TO THE ARPT. I SUSPECT FUEL WAS UNPORTED BY PROLONGED UNCOORD FLT AND LOW FUEL LEVELS. I RECOMMEND NO PROLONGED UNCOORD FLT BELOW 1500 FT AGL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR ALSO WAS A DELAYED JUMP RUN DUE TO OTHER TFC.

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.