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Controller describes a scenario where an aircraft under his control runs out of gas and eventually lands on a busy lighted road safely.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1256841 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201504 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.ARTCC |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft Low Wing 2 Eng Retractable Gear |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 6.5 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Single Pilot Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40 Flight Crew Total 400 Flight Crew Type 10 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue |
Narrative:
I had aircraft X change to my frequency 132.5; almost immediately after he checked back on I noticed him 300 feet below his assigned altitude of 7;000 feet. I decided to wait for 1 radar update to see if aircraft X would correct his altitude. On the next update aircraft X had descended further and I questioned the pilot of his altitude; there was no reply; I questioned him again and he responded that he was out of gas 8nm northwest of ZZZ airport. I responded; you are out of gas; aircraft X responded affirmative. I then gave him the nearest IFR airport on a 120 heading and 11nm. Aircraft X asked me to repeat the heading and distance for the airport and the controller that I had just relieved said he thought that the pilot wanted ZZZ and so I gave aircraft X a heading and distance to ZZZ; aircraft X responded roger heading that way. I then pulled up the airport info and read it to aircraft X. Aircraft X responds with roger and an altitude update. I give aircraft X a position update from the airport and he asks to switch to CTAF for lights. As he does that; the controller that I relieved and I try to split off his frequency so that I can give him better service because traffic is starting to build on the other frequencies that we are monitoring. As we are doing this aircraft X comes back to 132.5 and says that he could not get the lights or beacon on; I try to respond that the airport does not have lights and to give him the weather from the airport; but when I transmit there is no voice. About 30 seconds pass and aircraft X says he has a busy lighted road insight and that he is going to try for that. The other controller trying to split off the frequency with me responds with roger. The pilot then asks for a phone number to call us on when he lands and we give him the operations manager in charge (omic) number. I lose aircraft X on radar and call the front line manager (flm) at the omic desk and give him a last known lat/long. The pilot called the omic desk to let us know that he landed safely with no damage or injuries.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Controller describes a scenario where an aircraft under his control runs out of gas and eventually lands on a busy lighted road safely.
Narrative: I had Aircraft X change to my frequency 132.5; almost immediately after he checked back on I noticed him 300 feet below his assigned altitude of 7;000 Feet. I decided to wait for 1 radar update to see if Aircraft X would correct his altitude. On the next update Aircraft X had descended further and I questioned the pilot of his altitude; there was no reply; I questioned him again and he responded that he was out of gas 8nm NW of ZZZ airport. I responded; you are out of gas; Aircraft X responded affirmative. I then gave him the nearest IFR airport on a 120 heading and 11nm. Aircraft X asked me to repeat the heading and distance for the airport and the controller that I had just relieved said he thought that the pilot wanted ZZZ and so I gave Aircraft X a heading and distance to ZZZ; Aircraft X responded roger heading that way. I then pulled up the airport info and read it to Aircraft X. Aircraft X responds with roger and an altitude update. I give Aircraft X a position update from the airport and he asks to switch to CTAF for lights. As he does that; the controller that I relieved and I try to split off his frequency so that I can give him better service because traffic is starting to build on the other frequencies that we are monitoring. As we are doing this Aircraft X comes back to 132.5 and says that he could not get the lights or beacon on; I try to respond that the airport does not have lights and to give him the weather from the airport; but when I transmit there is no voice. About 30 seconds pass and Aircraft X says he has a busy lighted road insight and that he is going to try for that. The other controller trying to split off the frequency with me responds with roger. The pilot then asks for a phone number to call us on when he lands and we give him the Operations Manager In Charge (OMIC) number. I lose Aircraft X on radar and call the Front Line Manager (FLM) at the OMIC desk and give him a last known lat/long. The pilot called the OMIC desk to let us know that he landed safely with no damage or injuries.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.