AN SMA LANDED OFF ARPT BECAUSE OF HIGH FUEL USAGE CAUSED BY AN IMPENDING ENG FAILURE.

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ACFT: SMA PRECAUTION LNDG DUE TO INSUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD TO CONTINUE FLT. CHAIN OF EVENTS: PROB IDENTED WHEN INSUFFICIENT PWR DID NOT ALLOW ALT TO BE MAINTAINED. CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS USE OF CARB HEAT WHICH RESULTED IN RESUMPTION OF PWR SUFFICIENT TO REGAIN ALT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS #3 CYLINDER BEING CRACKED WITH 0 COMPRESSION AND LEANING PROC WHILE CARB HEAT APPLIED. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: NOT REALIZING FUEL BURN WAS AT SUCH A HIGH RATE. THE PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK INDICATES APPROX 5.4 GPH WAS NORMAL WHEREAS 8.3 GPH WAS ACTUALLY BEING CONSUMED. CLOSER REVIEW OF FUEL BURN ON PREVIOUS LEG OF FLT WOULD HAVE GIVEN INDICATION OF HIGH FUEL BURN. CLOSER REVIEW OF ETE AND ATE WOULD HAVE HELPED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS PLT CREATED QUITE A STIR ON THE ZLA FREQ. RESCUE ACFT AND HELIS FROM GCN AND FLG WERE IN THE AIR TO HELP AS WELL AS A PASSING ACR. THE PLT LANDED IN A FIELD AND WAS TAKEN TO GCN ARPT. HE OBTAINED SOME GASOLINE AND A PICKUP TRUCK WITH A TOW BAR AND TOOK OFF THE NEXT DAY FROM A ROAD. MECHS AT GCN CHKED THE ACFT AND FOUND IT AIRWORTHY; SO HE FLEW ON TO ABQ. THERE; ANOTHER CHK OF THE ENG FOUND A BAD ENG CYLINDER CAUSING THE HIGH FUEL USAGE. THE FUEL GAUGES WERE WORKING PROPERLY. THE FAA INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT AND GAVE HIM A 2-DAY ORAL EXAM; MOSTLY ON WX. A REBUILT ENG HAS BEEN INSTALLED.