A C182 drops some jumpers then heads for home base. During descent it experiences a fuel starvation ...

Attributes
ACN	377150
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o60
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1200 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	377150
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I had dropped a load of jumpers above middletown, ca, from 10000 ft AGL then proceeded to cloverdale for fuel. The santa rosa valley had an overcast with tops about 3000 ft MSL, breaking up 15 NM north of cloverdale. My long descent had cowl flaps closed, no carburetor heat (lake county was perfectly clear), and carrying about 20 inch manifold pressure/2200 RPM, a cruise descent. I went under the overcast with no problem, ATC requesting I report cloverdale in sight since I'd been in contact prior to the jumps. After about 5 mi at cruise, the engine sputtered and ran as if no fuel. (I was on a fuel run, tanks dipped 22 gals after landing.) I leaned, throttled back, added carburetor heat which didn't clear it in time (if in fact it was the problem). Lost power and landed on us 101, set down among the cars, no damage to anyone and parked on the shoulder. It could have been carburetor ice which surprised me since it was VFR and good visibility, and I'd had cruise power, even though I'd never had a problem in 3 yrs of flying skydiver dscnts. One tank dipped 22 gals, the other zero, which indicates fuel stoppage somewhere, though I've had fuel imbalance of up to 10 gals before. The 1968 C182 should be checked again for fuel contamination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 DROPS SOME JUMPERS THEN HEADS FOR HOME BASE. DURING DSCNT IT EXPERIENCES A FUEL STARVATION PROB AND ACFT LANDS ON A FREEWAY. ACFT WAS IN ZOA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I HAD DROPPED A LOAD OF JUMPERS ABOVE MIDDLETOWN, CA, FROM 10000 FT AGL THEN PROCEEDED TO CLOVERDALE FOR FUEL. THE SANTA ROSA VALLEY HAD AN OVCST WITH TOPS ABOUT 3000 FT MSL, BREAKING UP 15 NM N OF CLOVERDALE. MY LONG DSCNT HAD COWL FLAPS CLOSED, NO CARB HEAT (LAKE COUNTY WAS PERFECTLY CLR), AND CARRYING ABOUT 20 INCH MANIFOLD PRESSURE/2200 RPM, A CRUISE DSCNT. I WENT UNDER THE OVCST WITH NO PROB, ATC REQUESTING I RPT CLOVERDALE IN SIGHT SINCE I'D BEEN IN CONTACT PRIOR TO THE JUMPS. AFTER ABOUT 5 MI AT CRUISE, THE ENG SPUTTERED AND RAN AS IF NO FUEL. (I WAS ON A FUEL RUN, TANKS DIPPED 22 GALS AFTER LNDG.) I LEANED, THROTTLED BACK, ADDED CARB HEAT WHICH DIDN'T CLR IT IN TIME (IF IN FACT IT WAS THE PROB). LOST PWR AND LANDED ON US 101, SET DOWN AMONG THE CARS, NO DAMAGE TO ANYONE AND PARKED ON THE SHOULDER. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CARB ICE WHICH SURPRISED ME SINCE IT WAS VFR AND GOOD VISIBILITY, AND I'D HAD CRUISE PWR, EVEN THOUGH I'D NEVER HAD A PROB IN 3 YRS OF FLYING SKYDIVER DSCNTS. ONE TANK DIPPED 22 GALS, THE OTHER ZERO, WHICH INDICATES FUEL STOPPAGE SOMEWHERE, THOUGH I'VE HAD FUEL IMBALANCE OF UP TO 10 GALS BEFORE. THE 1968 C182 SHOULD BE CHKED AGAIN FOR FUEL CONTAMINATION.

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.

A C182 drops some jumpers then heads for home base. During descent it experiences a fuel starvation problem and aircraft lands on a freeway. Aircraft was in ZOA airspace.