TRACON vectored to nearest when engine began to fail.

Attributes
ACN	174651
Time
Date	199104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jan
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : jan
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 150 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	174651
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I planned the flight mobile-memphis with 2 passenger and carrying 50 pounds baggage. Departure time was XX20 hours. EST flight time, 3 hours. Fuel on board for 4.5 hours. The WX forecast for the route at the time of departure was VFR. I preflted the aircraft and made sure I got top fuel by checking the tanks visually and double-checked it by reading the indicators. Both of them indicated full tanks. En route the WX got worse and about 15 mi south of greenwood VOR it began to rain. I contacted flight watch for an abbreviated briefing. The report was rain and occasional thunderstorms over memphis. We deiced to return to jackson international airport and stay there overnight. At about XY20 we stayed 12 mi north of jackson. The hobbs-meter indicated 2l8 hours flight time and the fuel indicator still showed 1/4 full tanks and my calculation was that we still had fuel for at least 1 hour. Jackson tower gave me clearance for landing on 15L when the engine started to quit. I immediately reported an emergency to the tower which gave me vectors for madison airport. The engine was still running at the landing and quite when we rolled out on the runway. The fuel gauge still indicated some fuel. An inspection by a mechanic the next day showed that the quick drain was hanging (see also enclosed paper).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON VECTORED TO NEAREST WHEN ENGINE BEGAN TO FAIL.

Narrative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

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.