PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35; Flight Crew Total 225; Flight Crew Type 225
Human-Machine Interface; Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Speed All Types
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Aircraft
Problems starting aircraft. Attempted 3-4 times; then consulted [maintenance]. Tried a couple more times; airplane started with a loud backfire. Lost comm 1 at run up. Consulted [maintenance] again; just switched over to comm 2; finished my run up; and before takeoff checklists and took off. Got established and at 4500 feet cruising and leveled off and trimmed. Flight was beautiful until I noticed my airspeed started to fall. I was level and hadn't adjusted anything. I increased my power and it slowly kept falling. I leveled off again and it kept falling. I double checked my pitot heat. I pushed the nose forward to trying to increase my speed. It seemed to hold the airspeed; but as soon as I leveled off again it began to fall. During all of this; comm 2 went in and out. Center informed me ZZZ was right in front of me. I descended and landed without issue to myself or aircraft. Taxied off runway. I don't know what caused the issue.
PA28 pilot reported radio malfunction along with gradual loss of engine power.