SMA DIVERTS AND LANDS WHEN HIS ENG BECOMES ROUGH.

Narrative

DEPARTED HQM ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO BFI. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR A VFR CLB TO 7000; ENG SOUNDED NORMAL ON TKOF AND CLBOUT; BUT WAS SLIGHTLY SLUGGISH. CHT; EGT; MANIFOLD PRESSURE; AND RPM WERE ALL WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. APPROX 20 NE OF HQM ENG STARTED TO MISS SLIGHTLY. CARB TEMP WAS PLUS 10 DEG C; BUT FULL CARB HEAT AND FULL RICH MIXTURE HELPED. CHT THEN STARTED SLOWLY CLBING AND ANY ATTEMPT TO LEAN MIXTURE OR PUSH IN CARB HEAT RESULTED IN ENG MISSING WORSE. I THEN ADVISED ATC OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS CLRED DIRECT TO TFW; WHICH WAS CLOSER THAN BFI AND ALSO THE ACFT HOME BASE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT; THE VISUAL APCH; AND THE LNDG WERE ALL UNEVENTFUL. THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS THAT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SINCE THE ACFT RECEIVED A SUPPOSEDLY THOROUGH ($2800) ANNUAL IN JUNE THAT I HAVE HAD TO DIVERT FOR AN ENG MISS. THE FIRST TIME WAS DUE TO A BAD COIL AND BAD BEARINGS IN THE R MAG THAT THE MECH ADMITTED SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AT THE ANNUAL. NOW; 2 FLT HRS AFTER THE MAGS WERE REBUILT; I HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE ACFT WAS TROUBLE FREE (ENG WIRE) PRIOR TO THE ANNUAL. I THINK THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS AT EACH SHOP I'VE TRIED; IS THAT THE QUALITY OF WORK AFFORDED TO GA ACFT I JUST NOT UP TO STANDARDS. WHETHER THE CAUSE IS A SHORTAGE OF MECHS; OR ECONOMIC PRESSURE; OR WHATEVER; THIS SITUATION IS DANGEROUS AND WILL (AND PROBABLY HAS) RESULTED IN TRAGEDY.