Narrative:

Time en route 3 hour 30 min. Fuel on board 48 usable at 9 gal/hour equals 5 hour 20 min. After departure and initial contact with mbs approach, I was asked if I wanted the east or west route around detroit. East required flying over lake erie (originally filed this route). While flying 140 heading for mbs, FSS was contacted twice to discuss conditions which could involve freezing rain. I chose to reroute west of detroit. Over zzv the gauges appeared to show 16 gal total with 1 hour to go at 9 gal burn, fuel appeared to be adequate. Approaching crw the fuel gauges appeared to be dropping faster than anticipated but crw still appeared to be the best option. Approximately 3-5 mi for crw total power was lost at 2500'. An expressway was noted below and chosen for landing. Contributing factors: what we call 'topped off' may not be full with 48 gal usable. Burn rate was higher than 9 gal/hour due to higher RPM setting approximately 2525-2550. While still inside cg envelope, cg was to rear. Rerouting added 50 NM to trip. Gauges at loss of power appeared to have approximately 2 gal each. Human factors: 4 hours of flying (2 hours in IMC) may have caused fatigue and a desire to 'just get there'. A belief of the 'facts as planned' a disbelief of the actual low-fuel condition and higher burn rate. The fatigue and tenseness took priority over the need to reevaluate the situation and chose an alternate. Corrective actions include: determine gallons in tank at 'top off'. Situation down as a group (4 owners of plane) and discuss complete situation and corrective action and human factors. Address human factors and consider in future flight planning such as maintaining 1/4 tank each side regardless of situation. Reducing time in air. Fly the mountains in daytime.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DOES NOT ADHERE TO FLT AND FUEL PLANNING PROFILE, RESULTING IN FORCED LNDG DUE FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: TIME ENRTE 3 HR 30 MIN. FUEL ON BOARD 48 USABLE AT 9 GAL/HR EQUALS 5 HR 20 MIN. AFTER DEP AND INITIAL CONTACT WITH MBS APCH, I WAS ASKED IF I WANTED THE E OR W ROUTE AROUND DETROIT. E REQUIRED FLYING OVER LAKE ERIE (ORIGINALLY FILED THIS ROUTE). WHILE FLYING 140 HDG FOR MBS, FSS WAS CONTACTED TWICE TO DISCUSS CONDITIONS WHICH COULD INVOLVE FREEZING RAIN. I CHOSE TO REROUTE W OF DETROIT. OVER ZZV THE GAUGES APPEARED TO SHOW 16 GAL TOTAL WITH 1 HR TO GO AT 9 GAL BURN, FUEL APPEARED TO BE ADEQUATE. APCHING CRW THE FUEL GAUGES APPEARED TO BE DROPPING FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED BUT CRW STILL APPEARED TO BE THE BEST OPTION. APPROX 3-5 MI FOR CRW TOTAL POWER WAS LOST AT 2500'. AN EXPRESSWAY WAS NOTED BELOW AND CHOSEN FOR LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WHAT WE CALL 'TOPPED OFF' MAY NOT BE FULL WITH 48 GAL USABLE. BURN RATE WAS HIGHER THAN 9 GAL/HR DUE TO HIGHER RPM SETTING APPROX 2525-2550. WHILE STILL INSIDE CG ENVELOPE, CG WAS TO REAR. REROUTING ADDED 50 NM TO TRIP. GAUGES AT LOSS OF POWER APPEARED TO HAVE APPROX 2 GAL EACH. HUMAN FACTORS: 4 HRS OF FLYING (2 HRS IN IMC) MAY HAVE CAUSED FATIGUE AND A DESIRE TO 'JUST GET THERE'. A BELIEF OF THE 'FACTS AS PLANNED' A DISBELIEF OF THE ACTUAL LOW-FUEL CONDITION AND HIGHER BURN RATE. THE FATIGUE AND TENSENESS TOOK PRIORITY OVER THE NEED TO REEVALUATE THE SITUATION AND CHOSE AN ALTERNATE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS INCLUDE: DETERMINE GALLONS IN TANK AT 'TOP OFF'. SIT DOWN AS A GROUP (4 OWNERS OF PLANE) AND DISCUSS COMPLETE SITUATION AND CORRECTIVE ACTION AND HUMAN FACTORS. ADDRESS HUMAN FACTORS AND CONSIDER IN FUTURE FLT PLANNING SUCH AS MAINTAINING 1/4 TANK EACH SIDE REGARDLESS OF SITUATION. REDUCING TIME IN AIR. FLY THE MOUNTAINS IN DAYTIME.

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.