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Fuel determined to be sufficient for the planned flight as measured by hollow tube dipstick. Engine began surging from fuel starvation and emergency landing was made with vectors to nearest airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 152342 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199007 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : c47 airport : fcm |
| State Reference | MN |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other ground : preflight landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 152342 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | other other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Before departing fcm for osh, I used a fuel hawk C182LR dip stick from air products, 3930 lakeridge drive, holland, mi to determine that I had 42 gals of fuel on board (3 1/2 hours). I estimated 1 1/2 hours en route to osh. Winds were more adverse then forecast, and it would have taken about 2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours of flight, at about 40 west of osh, while burning fuel from the left tank, the engine started surging. The fuel gauges read empty, but they are inaccurate. I switched to the right tank, called ZAU, declared a low fuel emergency and requested vectors to the nearest field. I landed at portage, wi west/O incident. Subsequently, I added fuel 5 gals at a time, and measured the levels with the dip stick. The following values were obtained: right tank: 0 gals added, dipstick read 3; 5 gals added, dipstick read 14; 10 gals added, dipstick read 21; 15 gals added, dipstick read 24; 20 gals added, dipstick read 28; 25 gals added, dipstick read 32. Left tank: 0 gals added, dipstick read 0; 5 gals added, dipstick read 12; 10 gals added, dipstick read 12; 10 gals added, dipstick read 19; 15 gals added, dipstick read 24; 20 gals added, dipstick read 28. The dipstick consistently indicated that I had 15-20 gals more fuel than I really had. This was my entire fuel reserve. Pilots should be warned not to trust this dipstick. A manufacturer's recall (or possibly an ad) may be indicated. Reporter indicated that approximately 1/8' calibration on the hollow tube dipstick equals 1 gal of fuel, unless the aircraft is parked perfectly level an error in reading the calibrations is possible and probable. Reporter now feels his technique of using the dipstick and other factors contributed to his error and pilots need to be aware of the possibility of accrued error rather then withdraw the stick from the market.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FUEL DETERMINED TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE PLANNED FLT AS MEASURED BY HOLLOW TUBE DIPSTICK. ENGINE BEGAN SURGING FROM FUEL STARVATION AND EMERGENCY LNDG WAS MADE WITH VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT.
Narrative: BEFORE DEPARTING FCM FOR OSH, I USED A FUEL HAWK C182LR DIP STICK FROM AIR PRODUCTS, 3930 LAKERIDGE DRIVE, HOLLAND, MI TO DETERMINE THAT I HAD 42 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD (3 1/2 HRS). I ESTIMATED 1 1/2 HRS ENRTE TO OSH. WINDS WERE MORE ADVERSE THEN FORECAST, AND IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 2 HRS. AFTER 1 1/2 HRS OF FLT, AT ABOUT 40 W OF OSH, WHILE BURNING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK, THE ENG STARTED SURGING. THE FUEL GAUGES READ EMPTY, BUT THEY ARE INACCURATE. I SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK, CALLED ZAU, DECLARED A LOW FUEL EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST FIELD. I LANDED AT PORTAGE, WI W/O INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, I ADDED FUEL 5 GALS AT A TIME, AND MEASURED THE LEVELS WITH THE DIP STICK. THE FOLLOWING VALUES WERE OBTAINED: RIGHT TANK: 0 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 3; 5 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 14; 10 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 21; 15 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 24; 20 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 28; 25 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 32. LEFT TANK: 0 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 0; 5 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 12; 10 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 12; 10 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 19; 15 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 24; 20 GALS ADDED, DIPSTICK READ 28. THE DIPSTICK CONSISTENTLY INDICATED THAT I HAD 15-20 GALS MORE FUEL THAN I REALLY HAD. THIS WAS MY ENTIRE FUEL RESERVE. PLTS SHOULD BE WARNED NOT TO TRUST THIS DIPSTICK. A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL (OR POSSIBLY AN AD) MAY BE INDICATED. RPTR INDICATED THAT APPROX 1/8' CALIBRATION ON THE HOLLOW TUBE DIPSTICK EQUALS 1 GAL OF FUEL, UNLESS THE ACFT IS PARKED PERFECTLY LEVEL AN ERROR IN READING THE CALIBRATIONS IS POSSIBLE AND PROBABLE. RPTR NOW FEELS HIS TECHNIQUE OF USING THE DIPSTICK AND OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO HIS ERROR AND PLTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCRUED ERROR RATHER THEN WITHDRAW THE STICK FROM THE MARKET.
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.