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Small aircraft pilot runs out of gas in 3 1/2 hours of flight when endurance should allow 4 1/2 hours.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 206091 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199203 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : s13 |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| 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 | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 206091 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After 3 1/2 hours of sightseeing, the engine quit. The fuel tanks hold 55 gallon and had been topped-off immediately prior to takeoff. The engine power setting for the flight was 22 inches/2300 RPM, which would burn 10 1/2 gallons /hour. At a maximum cruise power setting of 23 inches/2450 RPM, fuel consumption is 12 gallons/hour. With full fuel, I should have had a min of 4 1/2 endurance hours as stated in the small aircraft owners manual and based on my own extensive experience with the aircraft. When the engine started cutting out, I decided to re-route to martha lake airstrip which was the closest landing strip. Upon losing total power, approximately 5 mi south of martha lake, I immediately located an alternate landing site and made a safe landing in a ball and track field. I was indicating 1/4 tank of fuel when I lost power. Inspection of the aircraft upon landing revealed no contamination in the lines, fuel tanks were empty, and fuel dispersion pattern stains under the right wing around the fuel tank vent. The a&P mechanic who installed the fuel tanks a few months ago has been scheduled to make a thorough inspection and make the necessary repairs.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT RUNS OUT OF GAS IN 3 1/2 HRS OF FLT WHEN ENDURANCE SHOULD ALLOW 4 1/2 HRS.
Narrative: AFTER 3 1/2 HRS OF SIGHTSEEING, THE ENG QUIT. THE FUEL TANKS HOLD 55 GALLON AND HAD BEEN TOPPED-OFF IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO TKOF. THE ENG PWR SETTING FOR THE FLT WAS 22 INCHES/2300 RPM, WHICH WOULD BURN 10 1/2 GALLONS /HR. AT A MAX CRUISE PWR SETTING OF 23 INCHES/2450 RPM, FUEL CONSUMPTION IS 12 GALLONS/HR. WITH FULL FUEL, I SHOULD HAVE HAD A MIN OF 4 1/2 ENDURANCE HRS AS STATED IN THE SMA OWNERS MANUAL AND BASED ON MY OWN EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE ACFT. WHEN THE ENG STARTED CUTTING OUT, I DECIDED TO RE-RTE TO MARTHA LAKE AIRSTRIP WHICH WAS THE CLOSEST LNDG STRIP. UPON LOSING TOTAL PWR, APPROX 5 MI S OF MARTHA LAKE, I IMMEDIATELY LOCATED AN ALTERNATE LNDG SITE AND MADE A SAFE LNDG IN A BALL AND TRACK FIELD. I WAS INDICATING 1/4 TANK OF FUEL WHEN I LOST PWR. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT UPON LNDG REVEALED NO CONTAMINATION IN THE LINES, FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND FUEL DISPERSION PATTERN STAINS UNDER THE R WING AROUND THE FUEL TANK VENT. THE A&P MECH WHO INSTALLED THE FUEL TANKS A FEW MONTHS AGO HAS BEEN SCHEDULED TO MAKE A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS.
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.