PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga/6X
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65; Flight Crew Total 4100; Flight Crew Type 55
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors; Aircraft
Engine lost 50% power. Declared emergency and turned towards best suitable airport. Landed without incident and was able to clear all active runways and shutdown engine on taxiway due to extreme vibration/noise. upon reporting clear to tower; they asked me to contact ground. At this point I was in process of getting passenger out of plane; and when I transmitted; it went on tower frequency. I called via telephone after exiting aircraft. In an effort to prevent a recurrence; should be taking the time to make sure the right frequency is set when transmitting.
PA32 pilot reports a rough running engine and power loss at 3;500 feet. An emergency is declared and the flight diverts to the nearest suitable airport; 11 miles away where upon taxiing to ramp he forgets to change to Ground frequency.