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Small aircraft pilot diversion to alternate airport after discovering that fuel remaining was not adequate for continuation of flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 204683 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199203 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bna |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time total : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 204683 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel other personnel |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I read with great chagrin, part 2 of fuel management in jan/92 callback. My only thought was 'most of the above.' the scenario -- IFR flight bna, west point, ms. Thin overcast at 2500, clear above. Tanks 1/2 full at preflight, taxi to fuel ramp -- watch truck top tanks -- fuel amount appropriate -- taxi out -- gauges ok -- climbing through overcast, notice gauges unequal, lh gauge 1/2 full, rh gauge 1/8 to 1/4. Called ATC for nearest airport -- 1 airport at 12 O'clock 20 mi and 1 at 3 O'clock 4 mi. Decided on latter -- landed uneventfully -- checked tanks -- rh cap missing but cover plate over cap correctly in place -- put 47 gallons in 54 gallon tanks (20 min of flight time) -- got new cap, completed trip and returned home with normal operation. Did 2 things when I got back to home base: (1) found my fuel cap still on running board of gas truck, (2) installed fuselage and strut steps and permanently removed fuel cap cover plates. Aircraft type small aircraft. Pilot experience -- 40 yrs -- commercial, instrument, type rating 10000 plus hours -- all of which could have been for naught due to 1 stupid mistake.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE ARPT AFTER DISCOVERING THAT FUEL REMAINING WAS NOT ADEQUATE FOR CONTINUATION OF FLT.
Narrative: I READ WITH GREAT CHAGRIN, PART 2 OF FUEL MGMNT IN JAN/92 CALLBACK. MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS 'MOST OF THE ABOVE.' THE SCENARIO -- IFR FLT BNA, WEST POINT, MS. THIN OVCST AT 2500, CLR ABOVE. TANKS 1/2 FULL AT PREFLT, TAXI TO FUEL RAMP -- WATCH TRUCK TOP TANKS -- FUEL AMOUNT APPROPRIATE -- TAXI OUT -- GAUGES OK -- CLBING THROUGH OVCST, NOTICE GAUGES UNEQUAL, LH GAUGE 1/2 FULL, RH GAUGE 1/8 TO 1/4. CALLED ATC FOR NEAREST ARPT -- 1 ARPT AT 12 O'CLOCK 20 MI AND 1 AT 3 O'CLOCK 4 MI. DECIDED ON LATTER -- LANDED UNEVENTFULLY -- CHKED TANKS -- RH CAP MISSING BUT COVER PLATE OVER CAP CORRECTLY IN PLACE -- PUT 47 GALLONS IN 54 GALLON TANKS (20 MIN OF FLT TIME) -- GOT NEW CAP, COMPLETED TRIP AND RETURNED HOME WITH NORMAL OP. DID 2 THINGS WHEN I GOT BACK TO HOME BASE: (1) FOUND MY FUEL CAP STILL ON RUNNING BOARD OF GAS TRUCK, (2) INSTALLED FUSELAGE AND STRUT STEPS AND PERMANENTLY REMOVED FUEL CAP COVER PLATES. ACFT TYPE SMA. PLT EXPERIENCE -- 40 YRS -- COMMERCIAL, INST, TYPE RATING 10000 PLUS HRS -- ALL OF WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN FOR NAUGHT DUE TO 1 STUPID MISTAKE.
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.