Narrative:

On short final approach; engine began to run rough. I adjusted mixture; and engine quit. I checked full mixture and got only a few more pops out of it. I notified socal approach and prepared to land. I landed about 100 yards short of runway on the cleared area; and coasted to about 100 ft short of runway. The landing was firm and the ground was rough and I came to a stop quickly. Upon checking the plane; I was frankly a little surprised to find no damage at all. I scouted out a route via a small road to the nearest taxiway; and took it back to the ramp. Informed ATC via a helicopter that all was well. In retrospect; the prospect of carburetor ice comes to mind; although the pressure carbs in these bonanzas are supposed to be immune to it. I had been in descent; and operating at low power levels for at least 20 mins. The engine does not actually even have carburetor heat -- only altitude and carburetor air. Also; the carburetor in this plane has become more and more finicky and sensitive at high altitudes and cold WX. This manifests itself by the carburetor having a narrower and narrower range of 'acceptable' mixture between lean cut-off and too-rich roughness as altitude and cold WX increase. Time for action on this matter. At any rate; the engine started easily after I had spent maybe 10-15 mins checking out the plane and the route of egress to the taxiway. The gear proved to be up to the task of negotiating the rough field; and back pressure was used liberally. The helicopter mentioned earlier was a police helicopter sent to check out my status; and was a comfort to know he was there; although 20-30 mins after the call to ATC.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B35 ENG STOPPED ON SHORT FINAL FORCING THE PLT TO LAND IN THE OVERRUN SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT SUSPECTS A CARB PROB.

Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL APCH; ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. I ADJUSTED MIXTURE; AND ENG QUIT. I CHKED FULL MIXTURE AND GOT ONLY A FEW MORE POPS OUT OF IT. I NOTIFIED SOCAL APCH AND PREPARED TO LAND. I LANDED ABOUT 100 YARDS SHORT OF RWY ON THE CLRED AREA; AND COASTED TO ABOUT 100 FT SHORT OF RWY. THE LNDG WAS FIRM AND THE GND WAS ROUGH AND I CAME TO A STOP QUICKLY. UPON CHKING THE PLANE; I WAS FRANKLY A LITTLE SURPRISED TO FIND NO DAMAGE AT ALL. I SCOUTED OUT A RTE VIA A SMALL ROAD TO THE NEAREST TXWY; AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE RAMP. INFORMED ATC VIA A HELI THAT ALL WAS WELL. IN RETROSPECT; THE PROSPECT OF CARB ICE COMES TO MIND; ALTHOUGH THE PRESSURE CARBS IN THESE BONANZAS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IMMUNE TO IT. I HAD BEEN IN DSCNT; AND OPERATING AT LOW PWR LEVELS FOR AT LEAST 20 MINS. THE ENG DOES NOT ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE CARB HEAT -- ONLY ALT AND CARB AIR. ALSO; THE CARB IN THIS PLANE HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE FINICKY AND SENSITIVE AT HIGH ALTS AND COLD WX. THIS MANIFESTS ITSELF BY THE CARB HAVING A NARROWER AND NARROWER RANGE OF 'ACCEPTABLE' MIXTURE BTWN LEAN CUT-OFF AND TOO-RICH ROUGHNESS AS ALT AND COLD WX INCREASE. TIME FOR ACTION ON THIS MATTER. AT ANY RATE; THE ENG STARTED EASILY AFTER I HAD SPENT MAYBE 10-15 MINS CHKING OUT THE PLANE AND THE RTE OF EGRESS TO THE TXWY. THE GEAR PROVED TO BE UP TO THE TASK OF NEGOTIATING THE ROUGH FIELD; AND BACK PRESSURE WAS USED LIBERALLY. THE HELI MENTIONED EARLIER WAS A POLICE HELI SENT TO CHK OUT MY STATUS; AND WAS A COMFORT TO KNOW HE WAS THERE; ALTHOUGH 20-30 MINS AFTER THE CALL TO ATC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.