EMER LNDG IN A RETURN LAND WHEN A C152 LOSES PWR AFTER TKOF AT 400 FT WHILE BEING TEST FLOWN BY A CFI WHO WAS TALKED INTO TAKING THE OVERHAULED ACFT ON A TEST FLT WITHOUT A RETURN TO SVC NOTATION IN THE LOGBOOK AT CPS; MO.

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C152 HAD RECEIVED A NEW ENG PRIOR TO IT BEING SOLD. BEFORE IT COULD BE DELIVERED; IT NEEDED TO BE TEST FLOWN. I WAS THE ONLY FLT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME SO I AGREED TO BE THE TEST PLT AND THE FERRY PLT FOR THE NEW OWNER. I ASKED THE MECH IF THE LOGBOOKS NEEDED TO BE FILLED OUT PRIOR TO THE TEST FLT. HE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE DONE AFTER THE TEST FLT SO THAT ANY ABNORMALITIES COULD BE FIXED/ADJUSTMENTS MADE. ON THE TEST FLT ALL WENT NORMALLY UNTIL 400 FT INTO THE CLB. THE ENG LOST PARTIAL PWR (ONLY RUNNING AT 1000-1500 RPM) AND LOST OIL PRESSURE. I DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED ON RWY 30R (AFTER TAKING OFF RWY 12R). THE LNDG WAS EXECUTED TO CHKLIST -- NO ERRATIC MOVEMENTS WERE REQUIRED. THE PLANE TAXIED IN ON ITS OWN PWR. THE PLANE WAS TRAILING SMOKE FROM THE TIME THE ENG LOST PWR TO SHUTDOWN ON THE RAMP (AS RPTED BY TWR). THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS NOT THE ENG MALFUNCTION; BUT MY FLYING THE ACFT BEFORE LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE OR IT WAS LEGALLY RETURNED TO SVC. I ALSO HAVE NOT MADE AN ENTRY FOR THE TEST FLT. CHAIN OF EVENTS: 1) PLANE NEEDED TEST FLT. 2) MECH SAID SIGNOFF NOT NECESSARY BEFORE TEST FLT. 3) MY FAILURE TO DETERMINE FOR MYSELF IF SIGNOFF WAS NECESSARY. 4) MY FLYING AN UNAIRWORTHY AIRPLANE. AFTER THE ENG FAILURE; I ASKED A DESIGNATED EXAMINER ABOUT THE LOGBOOK REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAINT TEST FLT. HE TOLD ME THAT I DID NEED A RETURN TO SVC STATEMENT AS TO THE WORK PERFORMED. HAVING FLOWN THE PLANE IN AN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION; I THOUGHT THIS RPT FORM TO BE A NECESSITY. I AM STILL UNSURE ABOUT MY RESPONSIBILITY CONCERNING THE TEST FLT AND MY OWN DOCUMENTATION IN THE LOGS NOW THAT THE PLANE HAS BEEN TEST FLOWN AND FAILED THE TEST. I AM UNSURE IF THE MECH WILL ALLOW ME TO MAKE AN ENTRY NOW. I THINK HE DOES NOT WANT ANY DOCUMENTATION OF IT. HE WAS ALSO ON THE TEST FLT.