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Pilot of parachute jump aircraft departs with less fuel than he thought. Engine quits during descent through 3500' and aircraft makes forced landing in field. No damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 152223 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199007 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : q84 |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 152223 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I'm a pilot for a parachute jump school, flying an small aircraft. We fly with minimum fuel on board to get the best rate of climb. Usually if the fuel bladders are moist and one gauge indicates 1/8 tank of fuel there is sufficient fuel for a 30 min flight to 10500' and return with adequate reserve for a go around. I was not the prior pilot to fly aircraft, there I didn't know how much fuel had been on board or the tach time on that fuel. Proof that my system failed was evident as I sat in the aircraft (in a wheat field 1/4 mi from airport) looking at the gauge stilling indicating 1/8 full. Fortunately the most serious damage was to my ego. The prevent a recurrence I plan to use a dipstick and push the bladder down, therefore getting an accurate measure fuel on board. Dampness on an uneven bottom and fuel gauges are not accurate measures for fuel amounts.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF PARACHUTE JUMP ACFT DEPARTS WITH LESS FUEL THAN HE THOUGHT. ENGINE QUITS DURING DESCENT THROUGH 3500' AND ACFT MAKES FORCED LNDG IN FIELD. NO DAMAGE.
Narrative: I'M A PLT FOR A PARACHUTE JUMP SCHOOL, FLYING AN SMA. WE FLY WITH MINIMUM FUEL ON BOARD TO GET THE BEST RATE OF CLB. USUALLY IF THE FUEL BLADDERS ARE MOIST AND ONE GAUGE INDICATES 1/8 TANK OF FUEL THERE IS SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR A 30 MIN FLT TO 10500' AND RETURN WITH ADEQUATE RESERVE FOR A GAR. I WAS NOT THE PRIOR PLT TO FLY ACFT, THERE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL HAD BEEN ON BOARD OR THE TACH TIME ON THAT FUEL. PROOF THAT MY SYS FAILED WAS EVIDENT AS I SAT IN THE ACFT (IN A WHEAT FIELD 1/4 MI FROM ARPT) LOOKING AT THE GAUGE STILLING INDICATING 1/8 FULL. FORTUNATELY THE MOST SERIOUS DAMAGE WAS TO MY EGO. THE PREVENT A RECURRENCE I PLAN TO USE A DIPSTICK AND PUSH THE BLADDER DOWN, THEREFORE GETTING AN ACCURATE MEASURE FUEL ON BOARD. DAMPNESS ON AN UNEVEN BOTTOM AND FUEL GAUGES ARE NOT ACCURATE MEASURES FOR FUEL AMOUNTS.
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.