TRACON controller providing OJT described a confused 'low fuel' event when inbound general aviation ...

Narrative:

Training on sector; a C206 advised 10 NM south of the airport; he was low on fuel and requested priority. The trainee told the pilot he would get it and turned the aircraft he was to follow out for new sequence and descended the C206 from 5;000 to 3;000. Trainee then amended the descent to 4;000 due to the traffic ahead. Due to frequency congestion two partial transmissions came from the C206 apparently requesting to be turned towards the airport. Trainee descended the C206 again to 3;000 before realizing a B737 was too close behind at 3;000 and told the C206 to maintain 4;000. Both of these altitude assignments went unanswered. The C206 instead stated something like 'engine at idle and don't know if it will stay running.' trainee did not respond to the C206; but made 2 other transmissions. I took the frequency when I saw the C206 descending and turned and descended the B737. I assumed the C206 was unable to maintain level flight since he had not acknowledged the clearance to 3;000. I turned the C206 towards the airport and asked if he could make the field. He said he could and had the field in sight. I issued a visual approach clearance and asked his condition. He said everything was operating normal. The pilot of the C206 clearly had issues. From the time he asked for priority due to low fuel until it sounded like he engine was going to quit was less than 5 minutes and 10 flying miles. He should have been able to realize sooner he may be in trouble instead of waiting until it was almost too late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON Controller providing OJT described a confused 'low fuel' event when inbound general aviation traffic indicated the need to fly toward the airport with all haste. The reporter listed the need for cleared communications between the pilot and ATC would have prevented this incident.

Narrative: Training on sector; a C206 advised 10 NM south of the airport; he was low on fuel and requested priority. The trainee told the pilot he would get it and turned the aircraft he was to follow out for new sequence and descended the C206 from 5;000 to 3;000. Trainee then amended the descent to 4;000 due to the traffic ahead. Due to frequency congestion two partial transmissions came from the C206 apparently requesting to be turned towards the airport. Trainee descended the C206 again to 3;000 before realizing a B737 was too close behind at 3;000 and told the C206 to maintain 4;000. Both of these altitude assignments went unanswered. The C206 instead stated something like 'engine at idle and don't know if it will stay running.' Trainee did not respond to the C206; but made 2 other transmissions. I took the frequency when I saw the C206 descending and turned and descended the B737. I assumed the C206 was unable to maintain level flight since he had not acknowledged the clearance to 3;000. I turned the C206 towards the airport and asked if he could make the field. He said he could and had the field in sight. I issued a visual approach clearance and asked his condition. He said everything was operating normal. The pilot of the C206 clearly had issues. From the time he asked for priority due to low fuel until it sounded like he engine was going to quit was less than 5 minutes and 10 flying miles. He should have been able to realize sooner he may be in trouble instead of waiting until it was almost too late.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1021019
Time
Date	201207
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Super Skywagon/Super Skylane
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach Departure
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types

TRACON controller providing OJT described a confused 'low fuel' event when inbound general aviation traffic indicated the need to fly toward the airport with all haste. The reporter listed the need for cleared communications between the pilot and ATC would have prevented this incident.