 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Fuel gauges erroneous and aircraft ran out of fuel on approach. Had to make an emergency off airport landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 331258 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : eug |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : eug |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 712 flight time type : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 331258 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : private pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 372 |
| ASRS Report | 330754 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
The owner of aircraft had fueled the aircraft. Full 60 gallon capacity. He had flown for 2 hours. The aircraft has a 12 gph burn rate. I got the aircraft checked fuel anticipated time burned out and time left. The gauges read a normal reading and gave me no indication of failure till after touchdown. Time left should be 3 hours. I flew 1.5 hours? While on IFR approach (ILS runway 16) into eugene, or (mahlon sweet field), I experienced a power failure. Knowing I would be unable to complete the approach, cancelled IFR, began my emergency landing checklist. Having completed the checklist I then proceeded to find a spot to land. The time was approximately XA00, mar/xx/96. Having realized landing was imminent, I located a field to land in. I landed the plane safely, came to a stop. I let ATC know I had landed safely. The aircraft fuel gauges were not reading properly. The tank on the left read 3/4 full, the one on the right read 1/4 full. The fuel gauges fluctuated when tapped on.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FUEL GAUGES ERRONEOUS AND ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL ON APCH. HAD TO MAKE AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG.
Narrative: THE OWNER OF ACFT HAD FUELED THE ACFT. FULL 60 GALLON CAPACITY. HE HAD FLOWN FOR 2 HRS. THE ACFT HAS A 12 GPH BURN RATE. I GOT THE ACFT CHKED FUEL ANTICIPATED TIME BURNED OUT AND TIME LEFT. THE GAUGES READ A NORMAL READING AND GAVE ME NO INDICATION OF FAILURE TILL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. TIME LEFT SHOULD BE 3 HRS. I FLEW 1.5 HRS? WHILE ON IFR APCH (ILS RWY 16) INTO EUGENE, OR (MAHLON SWEET FIELD), I EXPERIENCED A PWR FAILURE. KNOWING I WOULD BE UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE APCH, CANCELLED IFR, BEGAN MY EMER LNDG CHKLIST. HAVING COMPLETED THE CHKLIST I THEN PROCEEDED TO FIND A SPOT TO LAND. THE TIME WAS APPROX XA00, MAR/XX/96. HAVING REALIZED LNDG WAS IMMINENT, I LOCATED A FIELD TO LAND IN. I LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY, CAME TO A STOP. I LET ATC KNOW I HAD LANDED SAFELY. THE ACFT FUEL GAUGES WERE NOT READING PROPERLY. THE TANK ON THE L READ 3/4 FULL, THE ONE ON THE R READ 1/4 FULL. THE FUEL GAUGES FLUCTUATED WHEN TAPPED ON.
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.