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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Pilot of a glider towing aircraft ran out of fuel during climb while towing a glider and was forced to disconnect the glider and make an emergency forced landing back on the originating airport. There was no damage to the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 420074 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199811 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : 1v5 airport : 1v5 |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 8600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 420074 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Before departing boulder airport with a glider in tow, I noted that the fuel gauge indicated slightly more than 10 gallons of fuel. I was relieving another pilot and afterward he verified this reading. After takeoff and climbing out to 8600 ft, I noticed that the gauge had dropped to zero. As I signaled the glider to release, the engine died from fuel starvation. I was able to glide back to the airport and landed without incident. I have begun using a dipstick to verify fuel on board when switching towplanes.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A GLIDER TOWING ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL DURING CLB WHILE TOWING A GLIDER AND WAS FORCED TO DISCONNECT THE GLIDER AND MAKE AN EMER FORCED LNDG BACK ON THE ORIGINATING ARPT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.
Narrative: BEFORE DEPARTING BOULDER ARPT WITH A GLIDER IN TOW, I NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 10 GALLONS OF FUEL. I WAS RELIEVING ANOTHER PLT AND AFTERWARD HE VERIFIED THIS READING. AFTER TKOF AND CLBING OUT TO 8600 FT, I NOTICED THAT THE GAUGE HAD DROPPED TO ZERO. AS I SIGNALED THE GLIDER TO RELEASE, THE ENG DIED FROM FUEL STARVATION. I WAS ABLE TO GLIDE BACK TO THE ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE BEGUN USING A DIPSTICK TO VERIFY FUEL ON BOARD WHEN SWITCHING TOWPLANES.
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.