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C152 pilot diverted to the nearest suitable airport because of uneven fuel usage from the wing tanks. This may have been caused by fuel tank vent icing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 597939 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : okv.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Ice |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 152 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 357 flight time type : 62 |
| ASRS Report | 597939 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
While traveling from mansfield, oh, to fredericksburg, va, at 9500 ft MSL in VMC, pilot observed that left fuel tank gauge was showing decreasing fuel level (normal) while right side fuel tank gauge showed no decrease in fuel. Pilot monitored the gauges during cruise while analyzing the problem. Rocking the wings caused the right side fuel gauge to deflect in (apparent) response to the fuel in the tank moving. The pilot deduced that the right side fuel line was plugged (possibly with ice) and when the left side fuel gauge indicated 1/4 tank, pilot opted to divert to winchester, va. Pilot was using VFR flight following and advised ZDC that he was concerned about fuel and diverting to winchester. ATC asked the pilot to estimate fuel remaining and pilot reported that, if his analysis was correct, he may have as little as 15-20 mins (this estimate was based on the assumption that 1/4 of the left tank was available). ATC vectored the pilot to winchester and advised the airport that a fuel emergency was inbound. Pilot maintained VFR while descending through a broken ceiling and landed at winchester without incident. After landing, pilot measured fuel in both tanks and observed about 2.5 and 6 gals in the left and right tanks respectively. Pilot refueled at winchester and completed the flight to fredericksburg without incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C152 PLT DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT BECAUSE OF UNEVEN FUEL USAGE FROM THE WING TANKS. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY FUEL TANK VENT ICING.
Narrative: WHILE TRAVELING FROM MANSFIELD, OH, TO FREDERICKSBURG, VA, AT 9500 FT MSL IN VMC, PLT OBSERVED THAT L FUEL TANK GAUGE WAS SHOWING DECREASING FUEL LEVEL (NORMAL) WHILE R SIDE FUEL TANK GAUGE SHOWED NO DECREASE IN FUEL. PLT MONITORED THE GAUGES DURING CRUISE WHILE ANALYZING THE PROB. ROCKING THE WINGS CAUSED THE R SIDE FUEL GAUGE TO DEFLECT IN (APPARENT) RESPONSE TO THE FUEL IN THE TANK MOVING. THE PLT DEDUCED THAT THE R SIDE FUEL LINE WAS PLUGGED (POSSIBLY WITH ICE) AND WHEN THE L SIDE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 1/4 TANK, PLT OPTED TO DIVERT TO WINCHESTER, VA. PLT WAS USING VFR FLT FOLLOWING AND ADVISED ZDC THAT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL AND DIVERTING TO WINCHESTER. ATC ASKED THE PLT TO ESTIMATE FUEL REMAINING AND PLT RPTED THAT, IF HIS ANALYSIS WAS CORRECT, HE MAY HAVE AS LITTLE AS 15-20 MINS (THIS ESTIMATE WAS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT 1/4 OF THE L TANK WAS AVAILABLE). ATC VECTORED THE PLT TO WINCHESTER AND ADVISED THE ARPT THAT A FUEL EMER WAS INBOUND. PLT MAINTAINED VFR WHILE DSNDING THROUGH A BROKEN CEILING AND LANDED AT WINCHESTER WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG, PLT MEASURED FUEL IN BOTH TANKS AND OBSERVED ABOUT 2.5 AND 6 GALS IN THE L AND R TANKS RESPECTIVELY. PLT REFUELED AT WINCHESTER AND COMPLETED THE FLT TO FREDERICKSBURG WITHOUT INCIDENT.
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.