C172 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT HAD ENG FAILURE AND MADE AN EMER LNDG AT A MIL FIELD.

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IFR TRAINING FLT WITH STUDENT FROM CAMERON PARK (O61) TO CHICO (CIC). FILED IFR; TOOK OFF XA30; FLEW TO CIC; FLEW 2 APCHS; CANCELED IFR AFTER FIRST APCH. DEPARTED CIC; PICKED UP IFR FLT PLAN CLRNC (PREFILED) BACK TO CAMERON PARK. APPROX 30 MI FROM CIC; AT 7000 FT; THE ENG HAD A LOSS OF PWR FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. APPROX 1 MIN LATER; THE ENG LOST PWR AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL IT WAS NOT DEVELOPING ANY PWR. THE EMER CHKLIST WAS PERFORMED AND THE PROB CONTINUED. WE ASKED ATC FOR A LNDG AT BEALE; DECLARED AN EMER. CONTINUED TROUBLESHOOTING; CONSIDERED A LNDG AT MARYSVILLE (WE DECIDED WE COULD NOT MAKE MARYSVILLE). LANDED AT BEALE (BAB). CONTACTED PLANE OWNER AND OWNER'S A&P. A&P REQUESTED A FULL PWR RUNUP; AND VARIOUS OTHER INSPECTIONS. A&P AT BEALE OBSERVED RUNUP; REMOVED COWLING; INSPECTED ACFT. NO PROBS WERE FOUND. PERSONNEL AT BEALE AS WELL AS OWNER REQUESTED THE ACFT BE FLOWN OFF THE FIELD (REMOVED). CALCULATED SHORT FIELD TKOF WITH 12000 FT RWY TO ASSURE A SAFE LNDG IF ANY ENG PROBS AROSE. DECIDED TO FLY ACFT OFF THE AFB TO LINCOLN (REQUEST FROM OWNER; ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS TO MARYSVILLE) BY CLBING IN A BOX PATTERN OVER BAB TO 5000 FT WHICH WOULD ENABLE A GLIDE TO MARYSVILLE/LINCOLN). PERFORMED 2 HIGH SPD TAXIES ON RWY BEFORE TKOF. ALL WAS OK. TOOK OFF; CLBED TO 5000 FT IN BOX PATTERN OVER BAB; DEPARTED TO LINCOLN; LANDED AT LINCOLN WITH NO ENG PROBS. PARKED ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE INSTRUCTOR STOPPED RENTING THIS OWNER'S ACFT. SHE CONSIDERS THAT THE OWNER AND HIS MECH DID NOT MAINTAIN THEIR 2 ACFT IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. CONTINUING SERIOUS PROBS ARE NEVER REALLY FIXED. THE FIRST THING THE INSTRUCTOR DID WAS APPLY CARB HEAT. IT REMAINED ON THE ENTIRE TIME. THE OWNER'S MECH SENT THE CARB TO BE OVERHAULED; BUT NEVER DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS THE PROB. THE RPTR HAS NOT; AND WILL NOT; FLY THIS ACFT AGAIN.