Light helicopter low on fuel just short of destination elects precautionary landing.

Attributes
ACN	149183
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdl
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 380 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	149180
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

During a routine x-country training mission I noticed that the fuel quantity was lower than I had planned for. I instructed my student to return as quickly as possible to sdl. Within 1 mi of the airport we noticed the fuel low warning light flickering. I elected to make a precautionary landing rather than risk an engine failure. I reported to the tower that I was making a precautionary landing for fuel. After a normal approach and landing, fuel was brought out to me and I continued flight to the airport. I calculated fuel burn at 9.6 gph after the incident. This was 1.6 gph higher consumption than I have ever recorded. Nowhere in the helicopter operator's manual are there any performance guidelines or charts for fuel consumption, and therefore I relied upon my experience with previous x-countries to estimate fuel burn on this occasion. I made a poor decision not to stop at an airport 10 mi from sdl and have my employer come out and pay for filling the aircraft. I think that it would help pilots of type a helicopter's if the operator's manual contained some type of fuel burn chart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT HELICOPTER LOW ON FUEL JUST SHORT OF DESTINATION ELECTS PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: DURING A ROUTINE X-COUNTRY TRNING MISSION I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY WAS LOWER THAN I HAD PLANNED FOR. I INSTRUCTED MY STUDENT TO RETURN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO SDL. WITHIN 1 MI OF THE ARPT WE NOTICED THE FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT FLICKERING. I ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG RATHER THAN RISK AN ENG FAILURE. I RPTED TO THE TWR THAT I WAS MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG FOR FUEL. AFTER A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG, FUEL WAS BROUGHT OUT TO ME AND I CONTINUED FLT TO THE ARPT. I CALCULATED FUEL BURN AT 9.6 GPH AFTER THE INCIDENT. THIS WAS 1.6 GPH HIGHER CONSUMPTION THAN I HAVE EVER RECORDED. NOWHERE IN THE HELI OPERATOR'S MANUAL ARE THERE ANY PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES OR CHARTS FOR FUEL CONSUMPTION, AND THEREFORE I RELIED UPON MY EXPERIENCE WITH PREVIOUS X-COUNTRIES TO ESTIMATE FUEL BURN ON THIS OCCASION. I MADE A POOR DECISION NOT TO STOP AT AN ARPT 10 MI FROM SDL AND HAVE MY EMPLOYER COME OUT AND PAY FOR FILLING THE ACFT. I THINK THAT IT WOULD HELP PLTS OF TYPE A HELI'S IF THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL CONTAINED SOME TYPE OF FUEL BURN CHART.

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.