A LOW TIME BELLANCA PVT PLT IS MANDATED TO MAKE AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN HIS ENG BEGINS TO RUN ROUGH 12 NM FROM COS.

Narrative

DEPARTED BOULDER (1V5); DEST COLORADO SPRINGS. ABOUT 18 MI FROM COLORADO SPRINGS; THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER; AND LOSE PWR. AS I WAS ON FREQ WITH COLORADO SPRINGS APCH; I ALERTED THEM TO THE SIT. AFTER CHANGING THE ACFT ALT SLIGHTLY; THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN FINE. 6 MI LATER; IT BEGAN TO SPUTTER MUCH WORSE; AND INTERMITTENTLY WAS PRODUCING ALMOST NO PWR. I WAS GIVEN THE OPTIONS OF MEADOW LAKES (10 MI) OR AIR FORCE ACADEMY (4 MI). DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ENG WAS ONLY PRODUCING PWR ABOUT 25% OF THE TIME; THAT I WAS LOSING ALT; THAT I WAS OVER GOOD DIRT ROADS; AND THAT THERE WERE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND HWYS BTWN ME AND THOSE ARPTS; I ELECTED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON DRAINING FUEL FROM THE 4 DRAINS (1 EACH OF 2 TANKS; REAR FUSELAGE AND SUMP AT ENG) SOME WATER WAS FOUND. I CONTINUED TO DRAIN UNTIL I WAS SURE THERE WAS NO MORE WATER IN THE SYS. I THEN SECURED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE ARPT AND ADDED IT TO THE TANKS. I WAS THEN ABLE TO TAKE OFF FROM THE DIRT ROAD AND FLY TO COLORADO SPRINGS ARPT. NOTES: 1) NO WATER WAS FOUND WHEN DRAINING DURING PREFLT IN BOULDER. 2) ENG WAS STILL RUNNING UPON LNDG ON DIRT ROAD. 3) AFTER PRECAUTIONARY LNDG; THERE WAS STILL FUEL IN THE TANKS AND FUEL LINES. FUEL AND WATER WAS FOUND AT ALL 4 DRAIN POINTS.