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Pilot of small aircraft on pleasure flight calculated his fuel as sufficient and thought his empty fuel gauge was inaccurate. Was extended on downwind leg for landing at lgb. Ran out of gas and force landed in park northwest of lgb.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 112082 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198905 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lgb |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : lgb |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | landing other other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 130 flight time type : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 112082 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Landing in the park was caused by shortage of the fuel. I came to conclusion that pilot should not depend 100% on fuel calculation during the preflight. Really caused the problem was fact that I depended too much on my fuel calculation. 15-20 mi before airport destination, I noticed that fuel indicators started nicking the red marks. But, too much confidence in calculation of the fuel made me believe that gauges were incorrect. When I was aiming for landing and controller extended downwind, should have told him that I was short on fuel. I flew 6 mi out of airport. When I turned on final, the engine quit. When you're altitude is 1000' with engine out, there's not much time left to do planning for landing. Just happened that I was over the park where I landed safely. To prevent similar situation. 1) don't depend on your fuel calculation 100%. 2) if you notice that gauge indicate something different than you calculation, land on any airport for checking or refueling. 3) if you are on the traffic pattern and you feel that you are short on fuel, don't be afraid to ask controller for short approach for landing. 4) if you are on downwind and controller tells you to extend, you should start climb.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA ON PLEASURE FLT CALCULATED HIS FUEL AS SUFFICIENT AND THOUGHT HIS EMPTY FUEL GAUGE WAS INACCURATE. WAS EXTENDED ON DOWNWIND LEG FOR LNDG AT LGB. RAN OUT OF GAS AND FORCE LANDED IN PARK NW OF LGB.
Narrative: LNDG IN THE PARK WAS CAUSED BY SHORTAGE OF THE FUEL. I CAME TO CONCLUSION THAT PLT SHOULD NOT DEPEND 100% ON FUEL CALCULATION DURING THE PREFLT. REALLY CAUSED THE PROB WAS FACT THAT I DEPENDED TOO MUCH ON MY FUEL CALCULATION. 15-20 MI BEFORE ARPT DEST, I NOTICED THAT FUEL INDICATORS STARTED NICKING THE RED MARKS. BUT, TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN CALCULATION OF THE FUEL MADE ME BELIEVE THAT GAUGES WERE INCORRECT. WHEN I WAS AIMING FOR LNDG AND CTLR EXTENDED DOWNWIND, SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM THAT I WAS SHORT ON FUEL. I FLEW 6 MI OUT OF ARPT. WHEN I TURNED ON FINAL, THE ENG QUIT. WHEN YOU'RE ALT IS 1000' WITH ENG OUT, THERE'S NOT MUCH TIME LEFT TO DO PLANNING FOR LNDG. JUST HAPPENED THAT I WAS OVER THE PARK WHERE I LANDED SAFELY. TO PREVENT SIMILAR SITUATION. 1) DON'T DEPEND ON YOUR FUEL CALCULATION 100%. 2) IF YOU NOTICE THAT GAUGE INDICATE SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN YOU CALCULATION, LAND ON ANY ARPT FOR CHKING OR REFUELING. 3) IF YOU ARE ON THE TFC PATTERN AND YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE SHORT ON FUEL, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK CTLR FOR SHORT APCH FOR LNDG. 4) IF YOU ARE ON DOWNWIND AND CTLR TELLS YOU TO EXTEND, YOU SHOULD START CLB.
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.