C210 pilot had engine problems departing dsm. This was caused by an open log item.

Attributes
ACN	508537
Time
Date	200103
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dsm.airport
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dsm.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 278 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	508537
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

On mar/xa/01, I made an emergency landing at des moines international airport after being informed by the control tower shortly after departure that my engine was smoking. I landed safely back on runway 23. An FAA aircraft safety inspector inspected my aircraft and determined that the reason for the engine failure was the drop of 500 RPM in one of the magnetos. During his inspection, he also found an open discrepancy that had been written up in mar/01 which said 'GS on navigation #1 inoperative.' there was no signature on the discrepancy and by the time of this inspection, 4 other pilots had flown the airplane with the open discrepancy before me. Because there was no signature or initials on the discrepancy, we still do not know who wrote it. It may or may not have been a pilot, and no one had notified company maintenance or dispatch as is required. Also, the discrepancy was written in the middle of the logbook (between pages) where it was difficult to find. This may explain why it had not been noticed by the other 4 pilots or myself until the FAA inspector found it. Upon doing my preflight early that morning. I had not seen any discrepancy, and during flight the GS was working. In this particular airplane there are 2 GS's. Therefore, even if 1 were inoperable, there would still be 1 functioning. However, since our company does not have an MEL, everything in the airplane must work. This is why the FAA wants to issue a violation. At this time, the investigation is still underway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT HAD ENG PROBS DEPARTING DSM. THIS WAS CAUSED BY AN OPEN LOG ITEM.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/01, I MADE AN EMER LNDG AT DES MOINES INTL ARPT AFTER BEING INFORMED BY THE CTL TWR SHORTLY AFTER DEP THAT MY ENG WAS SMOKING. I LANDED SAFELY BACK ON RWY 23. AN FAA ACFT SAFETY INSPECTOR INSPECTED MY ACFT AND DETERMINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE ENG FAILURE WAS THE DROP OF 500 RPM IN ONE OF THE MAGNETOS. DURING HIS INSPECTION, HE ALSO FOUND AN OPEN DISCREPANCY THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP IN MAR/01 WHICH SAID 'GS ON NAV #1 INOP.' THERE WAS NO SIGNATURE ON THE DISCREPANCY AND BY THE TIME OF THIS INSPECTION, 4 OTHER PLTS HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE OPEN DISCREPANCY BEFORE ME. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SIGNATURE OR INITIALS ON THE DISCREPANCY, WE STILL DO NOT KNOW WHO WROTE IT. IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A PLT, AND NO ONE HAD NOTIFIED COMPANY MAINT OR DISPATCH AS IS REQUIRED. ALSO, THE DISCREPANCY WAS WRITTEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOGBOOK (BTWN PAGES) WHERE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FIND. THIS MAY EXPLAIN WHY IT HAD NOT BEEN NOTICED BY THE OTHER 4 PLTS OR MYSELF UNTIL THE FAA INSPECTOR FOUND IT. UPON DOING MY PREFLT EARLY THAT MORNING. I HAD NOT SEEN ANY DISCREPANCY, AND DURING FLT THE GS WAS WORKING. IN THIS PARTICULAR AIRPLANE THERE ARE 2 GS'S. THEREFORE, EVEN IF 1 WERE INOPERABLE, THERE WOULD STILL BE 1 FUNCTIONING. HOWEVER, SINCE OUR COMPANY DOES NOT HAVE AN MEL, EVERYTHING IN THE AIRPLANE MUST WORK. THIS IS WHY THE FAA WANTS TO ISSUE A VIOLATION. AT THIS TIME, THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL UNDERWAY.

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.