GA small aircraft pilot declares min fuel on descent into crw and is met by FAA inspectors who quest...

Attributes
ACN	198001
Time
Date	199112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 1820 flight time type : 0
ASRS Report	198001
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While talking to yeager tower on a visual approach I was vectored off course for sequencing. While going through landing checks, I found that the fuel gauges indicated min fuel. I told the tower I was 'min fuel status', but not declaring an emergency. I was met on the ramp by the FAA for questioning. It was found I had only 2.1 gallons of usable fuel left in the tanks of the aircraft. The 2 FAA inspectors questioned my required 45 min reserve. I planned for the required reserves before I left from little rock, ar. I fell short by approximately 9 gallons upon landing. This was probably due in part to fuel burn being different than published, a warm up and runup that was much longer than usual, and unforecast winds and course deviations. (First time I had flown the plane.) although I felt at my last check point I had more than enough fuel to make it to my destination, I should have made an early fuel stop to check fuel burn. I know now I was not nearly conservative enough in a plane I had never flown before, but the good WX made me over confident. The thought of making an extra fuel stop would make my next leg mostly a night flight, which made me plan too tight, although still legal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT DECLARES MIN FUEL ON DSCNT INTO CRW AND IS MET BY FAA INSPECTORS WHO QUESTION HIM ABOUT THE REQUIRED 45 MIN RESERVE.

Narrative: WHILE TALKING TO YEAGER TWR ON A VISUAL APCH I WAS VECTORED OFF COURSE FOR SEQUENCING. WHILE GOING THROUGH LNDG CHKS, I FOUND THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED MIN FUEL. I TOLD THE TWR I WAS 'MIN FUEL STATUS', BUT NOT DECLARING AN EMER. I WAS MET ON THE RAMP BY THE FAA FOR QUESTIONING. IT WAS FOUND I HAD ONLY 2.1 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL LEFT IN THE TANKS OF THE ACFT. THE 2 FAA INSPECTORS QUESTIONED MY REQUIRED 45 MIN RESERVE. I PLANNED FOR THE REQUIRED RESERVES BEFORE I LEFT FROM LITTLE ROCK, AR. I FELL SHORT BY APPROX 9 GALLONS UPON LNDG. THIS WAS PROBABLY DUE IN PART TO FUEL BURN BEING DIFFERENT THAN PUBLISHED, A WARM UP AND RUNUP THAT WAS MUCH LONGER THAN USUAL, AND UNFORECAST WINDS AND COURSE DEVS. (FIRST TIME I HAD FLOWN THE PLANE.) ALTHOUGH I FELT AT MY LAST CHK POINT I HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE IT TO MY DEST, I SHOULD HAVE MADE AN EARLY FUEL STOP TO CHK FUEL BURN. I KNOW NOW I WAS NOT NEARLY CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH IN A PLANE I HAD NEVER FLOWN BEFORE, BUT THE GOOD WX MADE ME OVER CONFIDENT. THE THOUGHT OF MAKING AN EXTRA FUEL STOP WOULD MAKE MY NEXT LEG MOSTLY A NIGHT FLT, WHICH MADE ME PLAN TOO TIGHT, ALTHOUGH STILL LEGAL.

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.

GA small aircraft pilot declares min fuel on descent into crw and is met by FAA inspectors who question him about the required 45 min reserve.