Helicopter instructor has low fuel light activate. Makes precautionary landing off airport.

Attributes
ACN	213290
Time
Date	199206
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	213290
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off from lgb heading south. We verified, by a preflight, that the tank was 12 full. Over pier J in lgb harbor, the low fuel light flickered. I made a precautionary landing to be extra safe. We landed on pier J and called for fuel, a van from our company came out to refuel us. The harbor police called the fire department, the long beach police helicopter, and the FAA. We took off with no incident. The FAA inspected our maintenance operation the next morning. The FAA is filing an incident report and considering a violation for improper preflight. I can see why so many pilots would rather fly on critical low fuel in an unsafe situation instead of being safe. There should be a program established to positively reinforce safe acts instead of harassing safe pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI INSTRUCTOR HAS LOW FUEL LIGHT ACTIVATE. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG OFF ARPT.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM LGB HDG S. WE VERIFIED, BY A PREFLT, THAT THE TANK WAS 12 FULL. OVER PIER J IN LGB HARBOR, THE LOW FUEL LIGHT FLICKERED. I MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG TO BE EXTRA SAFE. WE LANDED ON PIER J AND CALLED FOR FUEL, A VAN FROM OUR COMPANY CAME OUT TO REFUEL US. THE HARBOR POLICE CALLED THE FIRE DEPT, THE LONG BEACH POLICE HELI, AND THE FAA. WE TOOK OFF WITH NO INCIDENT. THE FAA INSPECTED OUR MAINT OP THE NEXT MORNING. THE FAA IS FILING AN INCIDENT RPT AND CONSIDERING A VIOLATION FOR IMPROPER PREFLT. I CAN SEE WHY SO MANY PLTS WOULD RATHER FLY ON CRITICAL LOW FUEL IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION INSTEAD OF BEING SAFE. THERE SHOULD BE A PROGRAM ESTABLISHED TO POSITIVELY REINFORCE SAFE ACTS INSTEAD OF HARASSING SAFE PLTS.

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.