Narrative:

During a local training flight, the low fuel caution light came on. We departed the airport with the fuel gauge reading 28 gallons, 18 gallons of which I personally put in the aircraft. During the flight, the fuel burn rate seemed a bit higher than normal, so we departed the training area after an hour. Normal fuel burn would be between 12-14 gph, and the low fuel light comes on at approximately 1 gallon of usable fuel. The light started to flicker at about 1 hour 15 mins of flight time, and was steadily on when we made a precautionary landing about 5 mi from the airport at 1 hour 20 mins of flight. This give us a fuel burn of over 20 gph. Upon landing, there were no fuel leaks apparent. The only reasons that I can think of for such a high fuel consumption are that the engine was malfunctioning, or a gauge malfunction. We currently do not have calibrated dip sticks to check fuel levels with, which would be extremely useful. I am going to push to get some made, as best as I am able. I believe that my decision to make a precautionary landing rather than continue on to the airport was probably the best one I have made in my career thus far.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ARPT PRECAUTIONARY LNDG MADE BY PLT OF HUGHES 269C ROTARY WINGED ACFT WHEN FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES NEAR CRQ, CA.

Narrative: DURING A LCL TRAINING FLT, THE LOW FUEL CAUTION LIGHT CAME ON. WE DEPARTED THE ARPT WITH THE FUEL GAUGE READING 28 GALLONS, 18 GALLONS OF WHICH I PERSONALLY PUT IN THE ACFT. DURING THE FLT, THE FUEL BURN RATE SEEMED A BIT HIGHER THAN NORMAL, SO WE DEPARTED THE TRAINING AREA AFTER AN HR. NORMAL FUEL BURN WOULD BE BTWN 12-14 GPH, AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON AT APPROX 1 GALLON OF USABLE FUEL. THE LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER AT ABOUT 1 HR 15 MINS OF FLT TIME, AND WAS STEADILY ON WHEN WE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE ARPT AT 1 HR 20 MINS OF FLT. THIS GIVE US A FUEL BURN OF OVER 20 GPH. UPON LNDG, THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKS APPARENT. THE ONLY REASONS THAT I CAN THINK OF FOR SUCH A HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION ARE THAT THE ENG WAS MALFUNCTIONING, OR A GAUGE MALFUNCTION. WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE CALIBRATED DIP STICKS TO CHK FUEL LEVELS WITH, WHICH WOULD BE EXTREMELY USEFUL. I AM GOING TO PUSH TO GET SOME MADE, AS BEST AS I AM ABLE. I BELIEVE THAT MY DECISION TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG RATHER THAN CONTINUE ON TO THE ARPT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST ONE I HAVE MADE IN MY CAREER THUS FAR.

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.