GA small aircraft diverted to an alternate because of low fuel remaining. Pilot advised ATC he had l...

Attributes
ACN	198710
Time
Date	199201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fnt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fnt tower : fnt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1650 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	198710
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was en route from pln to arb when I realized I did not have sufficient fuel reserves. I panicked and changed my destination with fnt approach (current ATC facility at the time) to fnt -- only 10-12 mi away. I believed that I was low on fuel and advised ATC. After landing, I was asked to call the control tower. The controller was quite adamant about the situation and went on to tell me that he had the crash crews standing by. I tried to tell him that I would have advised him if emergency equipment would have been necessary. He only became more agitated. Finally, I thanked him for the unsolicited priority handling and mentioned that I had just made a mistake in my flight planning. As it turned out, I landed with approximately 1 hour of fuel onboard. The event occurred for 2 reasons: pilot --miscalculated due to unusual and unplanned missed approach the day before. Less fuel than expected. Controller -- overzealous, seemed rather anxious to scramble the emergency crews. I heard that a similar situation occurred shortly before which ended in a fuel-starved, on-airport landing. Both the pilot and controller were obviously distraction/preoccupied during the onset of this event. The fnt ATC facility is normally quite good.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE BECAUSE OF LOW FUEL REMAINING. PLT ADVISED ATC HE HAD LOW FUEL AND IS NOW UPSET THAT THEY CALLED THE EMER GND EQUIP TO STAND BY.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM PLN TO ARB WHEN I REALIZED I DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL RESERVES. I PANICKED AND CHANGED MY DEST WITH FNT APCH (CURRENT ATC FACILITY AT THE TIME) TO FNT -- ONLY 10-12 MI AWAY. I BELIEVED THAT I WAS LOW ON FUEL AND ADVISED ATC. AFTER LNDG, I WAS ASKED TO CALL THE CTL TWR. THE CTLR WAS QUITE ADAMANT ABOUT THE SITUATION AND WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT HE HAD THE CRASH CREWS STANDING BY. I TRIED TO TELL HIM THAT I WOULD HAVE ADVISED HIM IF EMER EQUIP WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY. HE ONLY BECAME MORE AGITATED. FINALLY, I THANKED HIM FOR THE UNSOLICITED PRIORITY HANDLING AND MENTIONED THAT I HAD JUST MADE A MISTAKE IN MY FLT PLANNING. AS IT TURNED OUT, I LANDED WITH APPROX 1 HOUR OF FUEL ONBOARD. THE EVENT OCCURRED FOR 2 REASONS: PLT --MISCALCULATED DUE TO UNUSUAL AND UNPLANNED MISSED APCH THE DAY BEFORE. LESS FUEL THAN EXPECTED. CTLR -- OVERZEALOUS, SEEMED RATHER ANXIOUS TO SCRAMBLE THE EMER CREWS. I HEARD THAT A SIMILAR SITUATION OCCURRED SHORTLY BEFORE WHICH ENDED IN A FUEL-STARVED, ON-ARPT LNDG. BOTH THE PLT AND CTLR WERE OBVIOUSLY DISTR/PREOCCUPIED DURING THE ONSET OF THIS EVENT. THE FNT ATC FACILITY IS NORMALLY QUITE GOOD.

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.

GA small aircraft diverted to an alternate because of low fuel remaining. Pilot advised ATC he had low fuel and is now upset that they called the emergency ground equipment to stand by.