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A super decathlon developed a rough running engine 25 mins into a flight. A successful precautionary landing followed. Fouled spark plugs were discovered.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 634136 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200410 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : toa.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : toa.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Decathlon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 702 flight time type : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 634136 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
The engine, on my super decathlon, began to run rough. I immediately turned toward ZZZ1 airport and as a precautionary measure notified, called ZZZ1 airport. I informed them that I had a rough running engine and would like to land on runway 29R as soon as possible. I did not feel that there was an emergency. They gave me clearance to land and I landed without incident. This was the second flight of the aircraft after the annual by maintenance. Before departing from ZZZ1, I did a magneto check which was normal. On departure from runway 29R the engine was running normally. It was not until about 25 mins into the flight that the engine began to run rough. On landing I taxied to the maintenance for engine analysis. They found that two of the bottom spark plugs were fouled. They cleaned the spark plugs and did a magneto check which was normal. I have since flown the aircraft and found no other problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A SUPER DECATHLON DEVELOPED A ROUGH RUNNING ENG 25 MINS INTO A FLT. A SUCCESSFUL PRECAUTIONARY LNDG FOLLOWED. FOULED SPARK PLUGS WERE DISCOVERED.
Narrative: THE ENG, ON MY SUPER DECATHLON, BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD ZZZ1 ARPT AND AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE NOTIFIED, CALLED ZZZ1 ARPT. I INFORMED THEM THAT I HAD A ROUGH RUNNING ENG AND WOULD LIKE TO LAND ON RWY 29R AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DID NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS AN EMER. THEY GAVE ME CLRNC TO LAND AND I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS WAS THE SECOND FLT OF THE ACFT AFTER THE ANNUAL BY MAINT. BEFORE DEPARTING FROM ZZZ1, I DID A MAGNETO CHK WHICH WAS NORMAL. ON DEP FROM RWY 29R THE ENG WAS RUNNING NORMALLY. IT WAS NOT UNTIL ABOUT 25 MINS INTO THE FLT THAT THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. ON LNDG I TAXIED TO THE MAINT FOR ENG ANALYSIS. THEY FOUND THAT TWO OF THE BOTTOM SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED. THEY CLEANED THE SPARK PLUGS AND DID A MAGNETO CHK WHICH WAS NORMAL. I HAVE SINCE FLOWN THE ACFT AND FOUND NO OTHER PROBS.
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.