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Fuel exhaustion forces pilot of small aircraft experimental aircraft to perform an emergency off airport landing on highway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 217229 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199207 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : c59 |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other landing other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 414 flight time type : 188 |
| ASRS Report | 217229 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed 22G with full fuel flying to C59. Crew member (pilot navigator) in rear seat became sick about 35 mi from C59. I was not aware that the automatic feature on our LORAN only changed waypoints automatically and not (gri) so we were still on 9960 chain. The LORAN didn't locate the airport so we circled to look for it. Unsure of the amount of time we circled, and wanting to land because of sick crew member, I started back to a private strip I saw on the way, and called (kirkpatrick). When one tank went dry, I changed tank and restarted. Then started thinking I might not make it another 12 or 16 mi back, or across a lake in front of me so I changed direction again back on original course when the other tank went dry. I didn't know where else I could make a safe landing and saw the highway. There didn't seem to be much traffic so I landed on route 67. After talking with FAA and local police I was able to takeoff from highway. Our small aircraft has a standard power plant and holds a total of 32 gallons of fuel, or 3 1/2 hours endurance. I plan for a fuel burn of 9 gallons per hour. I am looking into the possible suction of fuel from tank vents.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION FORCES PLT OF SMA EXPERIMENTAL ACFT TO PERFORM AN EMER OFF ARPT LNDG ON HWY.
Narrative: DEPARTED 22G WITH FULL FUEL FLYING TO C59. CREW MEMBER (PLT NAVIGATOR) IN REAR SEAT BECAME SICK ABOUT 35 MI FROM C59. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE AUTO FEATURE ON OUR LORAN ONLY CHANGED WAYPOINTS AUTOMATICALLY AND NOT (GRI) SO WE WERE STILL ON 9960 CHAIN. THE LORAN DIDN'T LOCATE THE ARPT SO WE CIRCLED TO LOOK FOR IT. UNSURE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE CIRCLED, AND WANTING TO LAND BECAUSE OF SICK CREW MEMBER, I STARTED BACK TO A PRIVATE STRIP I SAW ON THE WAY, AND CALLED (KIRKPATRICK). WHEN ONE TANK WENT DRY, I CHANGED TANK AND RESTARTED. THEN STARTED THINKING I MIGHT NOT MAKE IT ANOTHER 12 OR 16 MI BACK, OR ACROSS A LAKE IN FRONT OF ME SO I CHANGED DIRECTION AGAIN BACK ON ORIGINAL COURSE WHEN THE OTHER TANK WENT DRY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE ELSE I COULD MAKE A SAFE LNDG AND SAW THE HWY. THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH TFC SO I LANDED ON RTE 67. AFTER TALKING WITH FAA AND LCL POLICE I WAS ABLE TO TKOF FROM HWY. OUR SMA HAS A STD PWR PLANT AND HOLDS A TOTAL OF 32 GALLONS OF FUEL, OR 3 1/2 HRS ENDURANCE. I PLAN FOR A FUEL BURN OF 9 GALLONS PER HR. I AM LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBLE SUCTION OF FUEL FROM TANK VENTS.
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.