PA28 suffers partial engine failure and lands at nearest suitable airport.

Attributes
ACN	761405
Time
Date	200711
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 435 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	761405
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Intended flight time 40 mins. WX FMC; no tfr's. Climbed to 2500 ft and established flight following to destination with approach. Directed to overfly ZZZ at 3500 ft. En route; engine began to run rough. Carburetor heat applied; fuel pump turned on and switched tanks. Engine roughness gone and operating normally. Continued to ZZZ and overflew the airport at 3500 ft as instructed heading 180 degrees. Engine roughness began again. Contacted approach and requested deviation to ZZZ. While in contact with approach; engine RPM's decreased and continued to run with only partial power. Called ZZZ tower and informed tower the need to get the aircraft on the ground as soon as possible. Requested runway xxr and cleared for right downwind runway xxr. It did not look like I could make runway xxr from the downwind and informed tower I needed to land straight in runway xyr. Landed runway xyr and exited on taxiway. Contacted ground and asked to be towed. Met my mechanic at their hangar and aircraft was evaluated. Suspected carburetor icing. Am awaiting further analysis by 'ap' before future flight in the daytime.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 SUFFERS PARTIAL ENGINE FAILURE AND LANDS AT NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: INTENDED FLT TIME 40 MINS. WX FMC; NO TFR'S. CLBED TO 2500 FT AND ESTABLISHED FLT FOLLOWING TO DEST WITH APCH. DIRECTED TO OVERFLY ZZZ AT 3500 FT. ENRTE; ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. CARB HEAT APPLIED; FUEL PUMP TURNED ON AND SWITCHED TANKS. ENG ROUGHNESS GONE AND OPERATING NORMALLY. CONTINUED TO ZZZ AND OVERFLEW THE ARPT AT 3500 FT AS INSTRUCTED HDG 180 DEGS. ENG ROUGHNESS BEGAN AGAIN. CONTACTED APCH AND REQUESTED DEV TO ZZZ. WHILE IN CONTACT WITH APCH; ENG RPM'S DECREASED AND CONTINUED TO RUN WITH ONLY PARTIAL PWR. CALLED ZZZ TWR AND INFORMED TWR THE NEED TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND ASAP. REQUESTED RWY XXR AND CLRED FOR R DOWNWIND RWY XXR. IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE I COULD MAKE RWY XXR FROM THE DOWNWIND AND INFORMED TWR I NEEDED TO LAND STRAIGHT IN RWY XYR. LANDED RWY XYR AND EXITED ON TXWY. CONTACTED GND AND ASKED TO BE TOWED. MET MY MECH AT THEIR HANGAR AND ACFT WAS EVALUATED. SUSPECTED CARB ICING. AM AWAITING FURTHER ANALYSIS BY 'AP' BEFORE FUTURE FLT IN THE DAYTIME.

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.