SMA HAS LOSS OF CYLINDER TEMP. DIVERT LAND.

Narrative

WHILE ENRTE TO TETERBORO; NJ; FROM LCI LACOMA; NH; IN A C-210T; WHILE 8 MI E OF KEENE; ONE OF THE CYLINDERS LOST TEMP. I DECIDED TO LAND AT KEENE; TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SIT. MY PASS; A FORMER A&P PLT -- AND ALSO MY BOSS; INSTRUCTED THE MECH TO PULL THE COWLING AND CHK THE PLUGS. THE PLUG HAD ITS CONTACTS PUSHED TOGETHER. AFTER COMING FROM THE TERMINAL; MY BOSS SAID THAT WE WOULD FLY THE PLANE BACK TO LACOMA WHERE FURTHER REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. THE MECH GAVE NO INDICATION THAT IT COULD NOT BE FLOWN; AND I ASKED MY BOSS; IF IT WAS SAFE TO FLY. HE ANSWERED YES; BUT WHAT TROUBLES ME; IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE AIRPLANE RAN AND FLEW FIRE; I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS LEGAL; LET ALONE STUPID TO FLY WITH ONE CYLINDER OUT OF THE 6 WORKING IMPROPERLY. BUT NOT BEING A MECH AND HAVING A FORMER MECH'S OPINION; I THOUGHT WOULD BE OK FOR THE SHORT 25 MIN FLT. ALTHOUGH EVERYTHING WAS OK; SOMETHING COULD HAVE GONE WRONG AND IT WAS STUPID TO ATTEMPT FLT. FROM HERE ON OUT I WILL GO WITH MY INSTINCTS NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS.