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GA small aircraft had to declare low fuel situation in traffic at the end of a night cross-country flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 161028 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199010 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ckb |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ckb tower : ord |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 54 |
| ASRS Report | 161028 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was the PIC on a VFR x-country flight from gmu to ckb on 10/fri/90. On about a 15 mi approach I switched from the left main fuel tank, which was registering empty but still running, to the right main tank, which was registering under 5 gals. At midfield position of my left downwind for runway 21 the engine began to sputter, so I immediately switched back to the left main tank. The right main was still reading slightly above empty. The engine continued to runway; however, I realized that I was in a critical situation and was unsure exactly how much fuel was remaining, so I contacted the tower and requested an immediate landing for a low fuel situation. (At the time of the incident I was second in line for landing following a plane on a 2 mi final.) the root cause for this situation is the fact that I allowed my fuel supply to diminish to a critical level. This could easily have been avoided by stopping en route for fuel. I personally will never allow another critical situation to occur as PIC and I deeply regret that this incident did happen. The thought of what could have occurred in this situation has had a very serious impact on my flying.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMA HAD TO DECLARE LOW FUEL SITUATION IN TRAFFIC AT THE END OF A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLT.
Narrative: I WAS THE PIC ON A VFR X-COUNTRY FLT FROM GMU TO CKB ON 10/FRI/90. ON ABOUT A 15 MI APCH I SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK, WHICH WAS REGISTERING EMPTY BUT STILL RUNNING, TO THE RIGHT MAIN TANK, WHICH WAS REGISTERING UNDER 5 GALS. AT MIDFIELD POS OF MY LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21 THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER, SO I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK. THE RIGHT MAIN WAS STILL READING SLIGHTLY ABOVE EMPTY. THE ENG CONTINUED TO RWY; HOWEVER, I REALIZED THAT I WAS IN A CRITICAL SITUATION AND WAS UNSURE EXACTLY HOW MUCH FUEL WAS REMAINING, SO I CONTACTED THE TWR AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE LNDG FOR A LOW FUEL SITUATION. (AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I WAS SECOND IN LINE FOR LNDG FOLLOWING A PLANE ON A 2 MI FINAL.) THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THIS SITUATION IS THE FACT THAT I ALLOWED MY FUEL SUPPLY TO DIMINISH TO A CRITICAL LEVEL. THIS COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY STOPPING ENRTE FOR FUEL. I PERSONALLY WILL NEVER ALLOW ANOTHER CRITICAL SITUATION TO OCCUR AS PIC AND I DEEPLY REGRET THAT THIS INCIDENT DID HAPPEN. THE THOUGHT OF WHAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED IN THIS SITUATION HAS HAD A VERY SERIOUS IMPACT ON MY FLYING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.