Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 61; Flight Crew Total 860; Flight Crew Type 163
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Maintenance Action; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
At 5;500 FT the engine began running rough then experienced a significant loss of power. I attempted unsuccessfully to fix the problem with the checklist then declared an emergency with the FSS with whom I had just opened my flight plan. The FSS specialist coordinated with the other ATC facilities in the area; provided winds on the surface and helped work through the situation with me. The airplane was having trouble holding altitude and so was descending slowly. The nearest airport was a military airport and I opted to land there. I landed successfully and taxied the airplane to a parking spot. After some troubleshooting it was determined that the #2 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck open.In hindsight; declaring an emergency and landing at the military field was the right thing to do. Even though it took a lot of coordination to get the airplane fixed and out of there; we were able to make it all work and we will never know what could have happened if we had tried to go another two or three NM to the next airport.A week later; the airplane was flown home.
A C-150 pilot opted to declare an emergency and land at the nearest suitable airport; a military field; following a significant loss of power due to a swallowed valve in the number two cylinder.