GA small aircraft encountered strong headwinds and had to divert to an altitude to prevent fuel exha...

Attributes
ACN	128777
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 3i4
State Reference	WV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : crw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	128777
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called FSS for a briefing and was informed that the WX was VFR at my departure point and at charleston, wv. Close to my destination with forecasts to marginal VFR. Winds were forecast to be out of the west 40-48 KTS. Flight was 149 KM flight planned to be 1.6 hours, 3 hours fuel on board my small aircraft. En route WX worsened filed IFR for an approach into sommerville, wv. I became concerned that I would not make sommerville because headwinds were calculated to be 78 KTS at time. Since my route took me over richwood I decided to try and land at richwood. Charleston approach vectored me over the airport after I informed them that I had a fuel problem. Over the airport I descended to 4500' MSL and broke out of the overcast, saw the airport and landed safely but low on fuel. Flight time was 2.9 hours on 3 hours fuel I need to keep closer track of fuel and time and decide where my point of no return is and stick to it. I also need to take FSS winds aloft forecasts with a grain of salt and figure the actual winds earlier in my flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENCOUNTERED STRONG HEADWINDS AND HAD TO DIVERT TO AN ALT TO PREVENT FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I CALLED FSS FOR A BRIEFING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WX WAS VFR AT MY DEP POINT AND AT CHARLESTON, WV. CLOSE TO MY DEST WITH FORECASTS TO MARGINAL VFR. WINDS WERE FORECAST TO BE OUT OF THE W 40-48 KTS. FLT WAS 149 KM FLT PLANNED TO BE 1.6 HRS, 3 HRS FUEL ON BOARD MY SMA. ENRTE WX WORSENED FILED IFR FOR AN APCH INTO SOMMERVILLE, WV. I BECAME CONCERNED THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE SOMMERVILLE BECAUSE HEADWINDS WERE CALCULATED TO BE 78 KTS AT TIME. SINCE MY ROUTE TOOK ME OVER RICHWOOD I DECIDED TO TRY AND LAND AT RICHWOOD. CHARLESTON APCH VECTORED ME OVER THE ARPT AFTER I INFORMED THEM THAT I HAD A FUEL PROB. OVER THE ARPT I DSNDED TO 4500' MSL AND BROKE OUT OF THE OVCST, SAW THE ARPT AND LANDED SAFELY BUT LOW ON FUEL. FLT TIME WAS 2.9 HRS ON 3 HRS FUEL I NEED TO KEEP CLOSER TRACK OF FUEL AND TIME AND DECIDE WHERE MY POINT OF NO RETURN IS AND STICK TO IT. I ALSO NEED TO TAKE FSS WINDS ALOFT FORECASTS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT AND FIGURE THE ACTUAL WINDS EARLIER IN MY FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

GA small aircraft encountered strong headwinds and had to divert to an altitude to prevent fuel exhaustion.