Pilot of a beech baron 55 on an IFR cross country flight had to divert to land for fuel due to becoming fuel critical just short of his flight plan destination. The headwinds encountered were stronger than expected causing a lower ground speed than planned.

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Attributes
ACN	433621
Time
Date	199904
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gvw.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	433621
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed AL15 and encountered 30-50 KT headwind while en route to mkc. It seemed like I was burning more fuel than usual. I wanted to go to mkc as I then had to go to jas. I seemed to not accept that my fuel burn was higher than expected. I wanted to make mkc nonstop. Finally I realized that I wouldn't make mkc. I declared critical fuel and a vector to gvw. I was given priority and landed safely. Problem: 1) unwillingness to accept higher fuel burn by pilot. 2) inadequate preflight planning with headwind component. 3) pilot's desire to avoid fuel stop secondary to schedule.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BEECH BARON 55 ON AN IFR XCOUNTRY FLT HAD TO DIVERT TO LAND FOR FUEL DUE TO BECOMING FUEL CRITICAL JUST SHORT OF HIS FLT PLAN DEST. THE HEADWINDS ENCOUNTERED WERE STRONGER THAN EXPECTED CAUSING A LOWER GND SPD THAN PLANNED.

Narrative: I DEPARTED AL15 AND ENCOUNTERED 30-50 KT HEADWIND WHILE ENRTE TO MKC. IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS BURNING MORE FUEL THAN USUAL. I WANTED TO GO TO MKC AS I THEN HAD TO GO TO JAS. I SEEMED TO NOT ACCEPT THAT MY FUEL BURN WAS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED. I WANTED TO MAKE MKC NONSTOP. FINALLY I REALIZED THAT I WOULDN'T MAKE MKC. I DECLARED CRITICAL FUEL AND A VECTOR TO GVW. I WAS GIVEN PRIORITY AND LANDED SAFELY. PROB: 1) UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT HIGHER FUEL BURN BY PLT. 2) INADEQUATE PREFLT PLANNING WITH HEADWIND COMPONENT. 3) PLT'S DESIRE TO AVOID FUEL STOP SECONDARY TO SCHEDULE.

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.