<< >> NASA ASRS Report 234830, January 1993

Pilot of small aircraft twin engine aircraft inadvertently descended below minimum prescribed altitude due to temporary loss of 1 engine due to fuel starvation mismgmnt.

Attributes
ACN	234830
Time
Date	199301
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ind airport : i14
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind tower : pir
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	234830
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had departed I14 at approximately XA00 EST on a flight to fwa. I contacted fwa approach and proceeded to photograph 5 sites. Finished my fwa sites and returned to ind to photo approximately 20 more sites. I proceeded to contact ind approach control on frequency 124.95. Radar contact was accomplished and I flew from site to site. Sometime between XB00 and XC00 EST, I inadvertently ran 1 gas tank dry. At the time I was 1000 ft to 1100 ft AGL. By the time my engine restarted I lost about 300 ft. No low altitude alert was issued by ATC nor did I declare an emergency. After restart I climbed immediately to safe altitude, finished my sites and landed at I14. That day I logged 8.9 hours of continuous flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TWIN ENG ACFT INADVERTENTLY DSNDED BELOW MINIMUM PRESCRIBED ALT DUE TO TEMPORARY LOSS OF 1 ENG DUE TO FUEL STARVATION MISMGMNT.

Narrative: I HAD DEPARTED I14 AT APPROX XA00 EST ON A FLT TO FWA. I CONTACTED FWA APCH AND PROCEEDED TO PHOTOGRAPH 5 SITES. FINISHED MY FWA SITES AND RETURNED TO IND TO PHOTO APPROX 20 MORE SITES. I PROCEEDED TO CONTACT IND APCH CTL ON FREQ 124.95. RADAR CONTACT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND I FLEW FROM SITE TO SITE. SOMETIME BTWN XB00 AND XC00 EST, I INADVERTENTLY RAN 1 GAS TANK DRY. AT THE TIME I WAS 1000 FT TO 1100 FT AGL. BY THE TIME MY ENG RESTARTED I LOST ABOUT 300 FT. NO LOW ALT ALERT WAS ISSUED BY ATC NOR DID I DECLARE AN EMER. AFTER RESTART I CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO SAFE ALT, FINISHED MY SITES AND LANDED AT I14. THAT DAY I LOGGED 8.9 HRS OF CONTINUOUS FLYING.

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.