Narrative:

I am a student pilot with a solo endorsement. On sep/sat/93 I reluctantly carried a passenger, for a routine local flight. An ese heading was taken which took us out over biscayne bay. After approximately 1 hour a problem with the fuel gauges occurred and I was forced to land in bimini, bahamas, which was closer than tmb. After rectifying the problem I took off and plotted a wbound heading for final destination to opf. I did not file a flight plan and did not identify myself. I made a mistake in taking a passenger, as well as not filing a flight plan. I recognize the mistake and made several judgemental errors I sincerely regret. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he does not know why he did what he did when he knew better. The problem occurred when the fuel gauges showed very low and he became concerned for himself and passenger. Landed, had plenty of fuel, checked his radio which had been intermittent at times and he could receive but not transmit. Had just purchased this aircraft 5 days prior to event and was discovering these problems. When he first contacted opf tower is when he realized he had not made contact crossing the ADIZ. Customs was closed, but an agent came to the aircraft and began questioning him. His aircraft was impounded. He is due for an FAA conference in the near future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI TAKES PAX ON FLT, HAS FUEL GAUGE PROBS. LANDS OUTSIDE ADIZ, FAILS TO FILE FLT PLAN TO RETURN ACROSS ADIZ.

Narrative: I AM A STUDENT PLT WITH A SOLO ENDORSEMENT. ON SEP/SAT/93 I RELUCTANTLY CARRIED A PAX, FOR A ROUTINE LCL FLT. AN ESE HDG WAS TAKEN WHICH TOOK US OUT OVER BISCAYNE BAY. AFTER APPROX 1 HR A PROB WITH THE FUEL GAUGES OCCURRED AND I WAS FORCED TO LAND IN BIMINI, BAHAMAS, WHICH WAS CLOSER THAN TMB. AFTER RECTIFYING THE PROB I TOOK OFF AND PLOTTED A WBOUND HDG FOR FINAL DEST TO OPF. I DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN AND DID NOT IDENT MYSELF. I MADE A MISTAKE IN TAKING A PAX, AS WELL AS NOT FILING A FLT PLAN. I RECOGNIZE THE MISTAKE AND MADE SEVERAL JUDGEMENTAL ERRORS I SINCERELY REGRET. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE DOES NOT KNOW WHY HE DID WHAT HE DID WHEN HE KNEW BETTER. THE PROB OCCURRED WHEN THE FUEL GAUGES SHOWED VERY LOW AND HE BECAME CONCERNED FOR HIMSELF AND PAX. LANDED, HAD PLENTY OF FUEL, CHKED HIS RADIO WHICH HAD BEEN INTERMITTENT AT TIMES AND HE COULD RECEIVE BUT NOT XMIT. HAD JUST PURCHASED THIS ACFT 5 DAYS PRIOR TO EVENT AND WAS DISCOVERING THESE PROBS. WHEN HE FIRST CONTACTED OPF TWR IS WHEN HE REALIZED HE HAD NOT MADE CONTACT XING THE ADIZ. CUSTOMS WAS CLOSED, BUT AN AGENT CAME TO THE ACFT AND BEGAN QUESTIONING HIM. HIS ACFT WAS IMPOUNDED. HE IS DUE FOR AN FAA CONFERENCE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

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.