Narrative:

The flight from mem to vks was IMC all the way. Fuel range is 2+15. Trip was planned for 1+45, it was night. I had been up all day. WX was not good, somewhat of a new job, and new aircraft. Had the boss and my wife on board. Upon arrival at vks, I shot the first approach and missed. Tried a second and just as I was about to miss, someone from the back yelled that they could see the airport. Therefore, I decided to try another one. My personal rule is to make 2 tries and then go elsewhere. This night I didn't. I tried once more and missed. After this approach I asked for and received radio vectors to jackson, ms. En route I realized that I may not make it that far due to low fuel. Shortly thereafter, my low fuel lights began to blink on and off. Asked for and got vectors to hawkins field while descending. I broke out at about the MM with about a 30 degree intercept (at my request) and at about 500'. Landing was successful and quick. One fuel low light on and the other one not quite steady on! Took on 172.5 gals of fuel total 189 gals. Gals remaining 16.5. Aircraft burns 82 gph. Had about 12 mins left if the gauges are accurate!? 1) I was tired. 2) trying too hard to please. 3) night. 4) IFR. 5) unfamiliar airport. 6) comparatively new aircraft and job. 7) shot one too many approachs. Basically forgot that it could happen to me! The priority handling that I received from jan approach controllers patience made the difference. It, hopefully, also helped to renew my awareness of my own limitations. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: it was a night of bad judgements and miscalculation of WX. I scared myself and my passenger. Poor show. This is a high speed helicopter and I was unfamiliar with it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ATTEMPTED 3 APCHS, THEN DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE FIELD. LOW ON FUEL. AFTER LNDG AND REFUELING, CALCULATED HE HAD 12 MINUTES OF FUEL REMAINING.

Narrative: THE FLT FROM MEM TO VKS WAS IMC ALL THE WAY. FUEL RANGE IS 2+15. TRIP WAS PLANNED FOR 1+45, IT WAS NIGHT. I HAD BEEN UP ALL DAY. WX WAS NOT GOOD, SOMEWHAT OF A NEW JOB, AND NEW ACFT. HAD THE BOSS AND MY WIFE ON BOARD. UPON ARR AT VKS, I SHOT THE FIRST APCH AND MISSED. TRIED A SECOND AND JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO MISS, SOMEONE FROM THE BACK YELLED THAT THEY COULD SEE THE ARPT. THEREFORE, I DECIDED TO TRY ANOTHER ONE. MY PERSONAL RULE IS TO MAKE 2 TRIES AND THEN GO ELSEWHERE. THIS NIGHT I DIDN'T. I TRIED ONCE MORE AND MISSED. AFTER THIS APCH I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED RADIO VECTORS TO JACKSON, MS. ENRTE I REALIZED THAT I MAY NOT MAKE IT THAT FAR DUE TO LOW FUEL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, MY LOW FUEL LIGHTS BEGAN TO BLINK ON AND OFF. ASKED FOR AND GOT VECTORS TO HAWKINS FIELD WHILE DSNDING. I BROKE OUT AT ABOUT THE MM WITH ABOUT A 30 DEG INTERCEPT (AT MY REQUEST) AND AT ABOUT 500'. LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL AND QUICK. ONE FUEL LOW LIGHT ON AND THE OTHER ONE NOT QUITE STEADY ON! TOOK ON 172.5 GALS OF FUEL TOTAL 189 GALS. GALS REMAINING 16.5. ACFT BURNS 82 GPH. HAD ABOUT 12 MINS LEFT IF THE GAUGES ARE ACCURATE!? 1) I WAS TIRED. 2) TRYING TOO HARD TO PLEASE. 3) NIGHT. 4) IFR. 5) UNFAMILIAR ARPT. 6) COMPARATIVELY NEW ACFT AND JOB. 7) SHOT ONE TOO MANY APCHS. BASICALLY FORGOT THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ME! THE PRIORITY HANDLING THAT I RECEIVED FROM JAN APCH CTLRS PATIENCE MADE THE DIFFERENCE. IT, HOPEFULLY, ALSO HELPED TO RENEW MY AWARENESS OF MY OWN LIMITATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: IT WAS A NIGHT OF BAD JUDGEMENTS AND MISCALCULATION OF WX. I SCARED MYSELF AND MY PAX. POOR SHOW. THIS IS A HIGH SPD HELI AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.