Narrative:

An small aircraft VFR pilot with only 1 passenger departed with the maximum fuel capacity of 64 gals. Fuel consumption was estimated to be 10 gph for planning purposes. I was on a VFR flight plan wbound from shawnee, ok, to los alamos, NM. While en route, because of unexpected and unusually high headwinds which prevented me from arriving at los alamos before it closed for the night, I altered my flight plan to land at albuquerque, NM. High headwinds, which increased to over 75 KTS, caused me to become low on fuel. Decreasing WX conditions en route to albuquerque caused me to consider diverting to las vegas, NM, from a westerly heading while passing over the otto VOR in new mexico. I estimated that I had used some 55 gals of fuel by the time I was over the otto VOR. I declared my intentions to divert via flight watch but the atmospherics prevented clear receptions of WX data and options from albuquerque's FSS. I descended from 12,500' MSL to 9000' MSL en route to and in preparation to land at las vegas, NM. My aircraft's right tank indicated 48 pounds fuel yet I could not hold fuel pressure. (I later discovered a stuck fuel tank float in an empty tank.) my left tank indicated 24 pounds fuel remaining. I was now well into the middle of the night and ground references were not possible directly below me. I could not turn on the las vegas runway lights by keying the microphone on 123.6. I confirmed by reading from the AOPA directory and tan guide that 123.6 was the CTAF. I contacted albuquerque center on 132.8 and requested assistance stating that I was now uncertain of my fuel reserves. Time in flight now neared 6 hours for some 400 mi distance covered. Albuquerque center granted my request to receive flight following. I climbed back to 11,500 MSL and declared that I could not activate the las vegas runway lights and was diverting to tucumcari, NM, where I had seen lighting earlier in my trip. I landed safely under power at tucumcari, NM.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENCOUNTERED STRONG HEADWINDS ENROUTE AND WHEN FUEL REMAINING BECAME CRITICAL DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE. UNABLE TO ACTIVATE MIRL AT CHOSEN ALTERNATE. RECEIVED FLT ASSIST FROM ZAB TO SECOND ALTERNATE.

Narrative: AN SMA VFR PLT WITH ONLY 1 PAX DEPARTED WITH THE MAX FUEL CAPACITY OF 64 GALS. FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 10 GPH FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN WBOUND FROM SHAWNEE, OK, TO LOS ALAMOS, NM. WHILE ENRTE, BECAUSE OF UNEXPECTED AND UNUSUALLY HIGH HEADWINDS WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM ARRIVING AT LOS ALAMOS BEFORE IT CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT, I ALTERED MY FLT PLAN TO LAND AT ALBUQUERQUE, NM. HIGH HEADWINDS, WHICH INCREASED TO OVER 75 KTS, CAUSED ME TO BECOME LOW ON FUEL. DECREASING WX CONDITIONS ENRTE TO ALBUQUERQUE CAUSED ME TO CONSIDER DIVERTING TO LAS VEGAS, NM, FROM A WESTERLY HDG WHILE PASSING OVER THE OTTO VOR IN NEW MEXICO. I ESTIMATED THAT I HAD USED SOME 55 GALS OF FUEL BY THE TIME I WAS OVER THE OTTO VOR. I DECLARED MY INTENTIONS TO DIVERT VIA FLIGHT WATCH BUT THE ATMOSPHERICS PREVENTED CLEAR RECEPTIONS OF WX DATA AND OPTIONS FROM ALBUQUERQUE'S FSS. I DESCENDED FROM 12,500' MSL TO 9000' MSL ENRTE TO AND IN PREPARATION TO LAND AT LAS VEGAS, NM. MY ACFT'S RIGHT TANK INDICATED 48 LBS FUEL YET I COULD NOT HOLD FUEL PRESSURE. (I LATER DISCOVERED A STUCK FUEL TANK FLOAT IN AN EMPTY TANK.) MY LEFT TANK INDICATED 24 LBS FUEL REMAINING. I WAS NOW WELL INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND GND REFERENCES WERE NOT POSSIBLE DIRECTLY BELOW ME. I COULD NOT TURN ON THE LAS VEGAS RWY LIGHTS BY KEYING THE MICROPHONE ON 123.6. I CONFIRMED BY READING FROM THE AOPA DIRECTORY AND TAN GUIDE THAT 123.6 WAS THE CTAF. I CONTACTED ALBUQUERQUE CENTER ON 132.8 AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE STATING THAT I WAS NOW UNCERTAIN OF MY FUEL RESERVES. TIME IN FLT NOW NEARED 6 HRS FOR SOME 400 MI DISTANCE COVERED. ALBUQUERQUE CENTER GRANTED MY REQUEST TO RECEIVE FLT FOLLOWING. I CLIMBED BACK TO 11,500 MSL AND DECLARED THAT I COULD NOT ACTIVATE THE LAS VEGAS RWY LIGHTS AND WAS DIVERTING TO TUCUMCARI, NM, WHERE I HAD SEEN LIGHTING EARLIER IN MY TRIP. I LANDED SAFELY UNDER POWER AT TUCUMCARI, NM.

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.