Low fuel, emergency off airport landing by small aircraft as WX deteriorates at destination.

Attributes
ACN	167031
Time
Date	199012
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spa
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 972 msl bound upper : 1072
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : atl tracon : spa tower : azo
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 725 flight time type : 12
ASRS Report	167031
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On sun morning 12/90, 3 others and I departed youngstown municipal airport in an small aircraft, en route to daytona, fl. I had planned for 2 stops for fuel along the route, because of forecast winds aloft. The first stop was crw, where we had the tanks filled. The second leg of the trip was planned from crw to chs, where we would refuel and then continue on to daytona, fl. I had calculated the aircraft had 5 hours, 15 mins of fuel when full, and that the second leg, which was crw-V35 grg-V35 tri-V35 sug-V54 cae-V53 chs, would approximately take us 4 hours to complete. Chs was forecasting marginal VFR 1 before to 1 hour after our time of arrival, so no alternate was needed. Tri city approach asked us to deviate from our flight plan and fly V364 to weaks intersection, and to precede on course from there. This had taken us slightly west of course. At this time I had realized we were burning more fuel than planned. (Later calculated average was 11 gph, and the aircraft was leaned during cruise.) I had decided to land at cae, and received clearance to do so. Just after passing spa VOR, I determined that with the ground speed I was picking up and fuel remaining, cae was out of our reach. I asked for something closer, but the only airport which was not socked in by low ceilings and fog was asheville regional. I received vectors to the airport, but our ground speed was poor. At this time I determined we would not make asheville regional and declared an emergency. I was then vectored to greenville-spartanburg airport, which was the closest to our position. The airport was 16 mi, with 100 overcast, 1/4 mi visibility with fog. The approach was then ILS 21. At this time, the fuel was reading 0 in each tank and I knew I would only have 1 change at the approach. I had descended below minimums and the controller said I was 1/4 mi out. I then broke out of the fog and saw only tree tops. I spotted highway 101 and landed the aircraft on the highway. The runway was visible from our position after coming to a stop. No injuries occurred and there was no damage to the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FUEL, EMERGENCY OFF ARPT LNDG BY SMA AS WX DETERIORATES AT DESTINATION.

Narrative: ON SUN MORNING 12/90, 3 OTHERS AND I DEPARTED YOUNGSTOWN MUNICIPAL ARPT IN AN SMA, ENRTE TO DAYTONA, FL. I HAD PLANNED FOR 2 STOPS FOR FUEL ALONG THE RTE, BECAUSE OF FORECAST WINDS ALOFT. THE FIRST STOP WAS CRW, WHERE WE HAD THE TANKS FILLED. THE SECOND LEG OF THE TRIP WAS PLANNED FROM CRW TO CHS, WHERE WE WOULD REFUEL AND THEN CONTINUE ON TO DAYTONA, FL. I HAD CALCULATED THE ACFT HAD 5 HRS, 15 MINS OF FUEL WHEN FULL, AND THAT THE SECOND LEG, WHICH WAS CRW-V35 GRG-V35 TRI-V35 SUG-V54 CAE-V53 CHS, WOULD APPROX TAKE US 4 HRS TO COMPLETE. CHS WAS FORECASTING MARGINAL VFR 1 BEFORE TO 1 HR AFTER OUR TIME OF ARR, SO NO ALTERNATE WAS NEEDED. TRI CITY APCH ASKED US TO DEVIATE FROM OUR FLT PLAN AND FLY V364 TO WEAKS INTXN, AND TO PRECEDE ON COURSE FROM THERE. THIS HAD TAKEN US SLIGHTLY W OF COURSE. AT THIS TIME I HAD REALIZED WE WERE BURNING MORE FUEL THAN PLANNED. (LATER CALCULATED AVERAGE WAS 11 GPH, AND THE ACFT WAS LEANED DURING CRUISE.) I HAD DECIDED TO LAND AT CAE, AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO DO SO. JUST AFTER PASSING SPA VOR, I DETERMINED THAT WITH THE GND SPD I WAS PICKING UP AND FUEL REMAINING, CAE WAS OUT OF OUR REACH. I ASKED FOR SOMETHING CLOSER, BUT THE ONLY ARPT WHICH WAS NOT SOCKED IN BY LOW CEILINGS AND FOG WAS ASHEVILLE REGIONAL. I RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE ARPT, BUT OUR GND SPD WAS POOR. AT THIS TIME I DETERMINED WE WOULD NOT MAKE ASHEVILLE REGIONAL AND DECLARED AN EMER. I WAS THEN VECTORED TO GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG ARPT, WHICH WAS THE CLOSEST TO OUR POS. THE ARPT WAS 16 MI, WITH 100 OVCST, 1/4 MI VISIBILITY WITH FOG. THE APCH WAS THEN ILS 21. AT THIS TIME, THE FUEL WAS READING 0 IN EACH TANK AND I KNEW I WOULD ONLY HAVE 1 CHANGE AT THE APCH. I HAD DSNDED BELOW MINIMUMS AND THE CTLR SAID I WAS 1/4 MI OUT. I THEN BROKE OUT OF THE FOG AND SAW ONLY TREE TOPS. I SPOTTED HWY 101 AND LANDED THE ACFT ON THE HWY. THE RWY WAS VISIBLE FROM OUR POS AFTER COMING TO A STOP. NO INJURIES OCCURRED AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

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.