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PA-34 flight crew reported a training flight resulted in multiple diversions and minimum fuel condition due to weather conditions and inoperative runway lights.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1446526 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-220T Turbo Seneca III |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40 Flight Crew Total 10100 Flight Crew Type 300 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
The latest weather reports; to my best recollection; indicated the following conditions: ZZZ 8 miles visibility and ceiling at 300 feet. ZZZ1; my designated alternate; 3 miles visibility and 600 feet ceiling. The latest weather reports also indicted available alternates in ZZZ2 and ZZZ3. The minimum required fuel for the trip taking in account the flight to destination; to the alternate plus 45 minute in cruise was 1:30 hours. [Prior to departure] we added 10 gallons of fuel to get a total of 65 gal.; which gave us an endurance of 2:15 hours. This gave us an additional 45 minutes of reserve. The estimated duration of the flight was 30 minutes.during our flight we monitored the weather at ZZZ and ZZZ1. The indication was that weather was changing. Nevertheless; visibility and ceilings indicated greater than 1 mile visibility and 200 feet respectively.during our attempts to execute the ILS to runway 6 at ZZZ; we realized that as a result of a 90 degree cross wind that may exceeded 30 kts between 2000 feet and 1000 feet. In the 3 attempts; we decided slightly below 1000 feet to execute a missed approach and go to our alternate ZZZ1. The reported weather was 1 mile visibility and 200 feet ceiling. The wind was from 160 which made ILS 14 a very good choice.during our approach we discovered the prevailing wind gave us ground speed of about 50 kts. Reaching da (277feet) we executed a missed approached. At this point we decided to divert to ZZZ2 where the weather report was ceiling greater than 1000 feet and visibility 2 miles. In to attempt to land at ZZZ2; we were unable to land as the runway light failed to activate. At this point we had exhausted all of our reserve fuel. We diverted yet again to ZZZ3 with controller latest weather report was way above minimums. We had [advised ATC] because we had enough fuel for 2 attempts on ILS runway 2.we made a plan that if the 2nd attempts fails; we would ditch the plane in the water. During the first approach at da we made no contact with the runaway environment. Fortunately on the second attempt at about 300 feet we made contact with the runway environment and made a successful landing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA-34 flight crew reported a training flight resulted in multiple diversions and minimum fuel condition due to weather conditions and inoperative runway lights.
Narrative: The latest weather reports; to my best recollection; indicated the following conditions: ZZZ 8 miles visibility and ceiling at 300 feet. ZZZ1; my designated alternate; 3 Miles Visibility and 600 feet ceiling. The latest weather reports also indicted available alternates in ZZZ2 and ZZZ3. The minimum required fuel for the trip taking in account the flight to destination; to the alternate plus 45 minute in cruise was 1:30 hours. [Prior to departure] we added 10 gallons of fuel to get a total of 65 gal.; which gave us an endurance of 2:15 hours. This gave us an additional 45 minutes of reserve. The estimated duration of the flight was 30 minutes.During our flight we monitored the weather at ZZZ and ZZZ1. The indication was that weather was changing. Nevertheless; visibility and ceilings indicated greater than 1 mile visibility and 200 feet respectively.During our attempts to execute the ILS to runway 6 at ZZZ; we realized that as a result of a 90 degree cross wind that may exceeded 30 kts between 2000 feet and 1000 feet. In the 3 attempts; we decided slightly below 1000 feet to execute a missed approach and go to our alternate ZZZ1. The reported weather was 1 mile visibility and 200 feet ceiling. The wind was from 160 which made ILS 14 a very good choice.During our approach we discovered the prevailing wind gave us ground speed of about 50 kts. Reaching DA (277feet) we executed a missed approached. At this point we decided to divert to ZZZ2 where the weather report was ceiling greater than 1000 feet and visibility 2 miles. In to attempt to land at ZZZ2; we were unable to land as the runway light failed to activate. At this point we had exhausted all of our reserve fuel. We diverted yet again to ZZZ3 with controller latest weather report was way above minimums. We had [advised ATC] because we had enough fuel for 2 attempts on ILS runway 2.We made a plan that if the 2nd attempts fails; we would ditch the plane in the water. During the first approach at DA we made no contact with the runaway environment. Fortunately on the second attempt at about 300 feet we made contact with the runway environment and made a successful landing.
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.