Precautionary emergency off airport landing when small aircraft suffers a fuel starvation condition.

Attributes
ACN	224221
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : y23
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	224221
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A VFR x-country was planned and flown by myself and a student pilot. The trip was planned; (direct flight, 290 NM at 3000 ft MSL). After a complete WX brief, the time and fuel calculations were made and fuel tanks were topped off. Departure was at AM10 local and we encountered no delays. The forecast winds were fairly accurate and all time/distance/fuel calculations appeared as predicted. Time en route: 3 hour 0 mins, lean mixture to 70 percent power fuel burn: 21 gallons with 3 1/12 gallons reserve (35 mins) at approximately AM10, when approximately 5 NM from destination airport with airport in sight, the engine began to vary in RPM. The proper checklist was accomplished and although the engine was developing power, I elected to discontinue to the destination airport due to the proximity of the town and a large lake. A precautionary landing was made on a suitable paved rural road that had no obstacles or traffic. The landing was made with the engine still developing power and a subsequent taxi to a residence was made without incident. The fuel gauges indicated approximately 4 gallons of fuel although they were not even in quantity. Visual inspection showed the left tank to still have fuel but the right rank nearly empty. The remaining fuel was drained in case it may have contained water (none visible) 10 gallons of 100 ll was then added and an inspection of the engine was made including a full power runup. After several tests and careful planning I was satisfied the engine was developing full power and alone flew the airplane on to the destination without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRECAUTIONARY EMER OFF ARPT LNDG WHEN SMA SUFFERS A FUEL STARVATION CONDITION.

Narrative: A VFR X-COUNTRY WAS PLANNED AND FLOWN BY MYSELF AND A STUDENT PLT. THE TRIP WAS PLANNED; (DIRECT FLT, 290 NM AT 3000 FT MSL). AFTER A COMPLETE WX BRIEF, THE TIME AND FUEL CALCULATIONS WERE MADE AND FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF. DEP WAS AT AM10 LCL AND WE ENCOUNTERED NO DELAYS. THE FORECAST WINDS WERE FAIRLY ACCURATE AND ALL TIME/DISTANCE/FUEL CALCULATIONS APPEARED AS PREDICTED. TIME ENRTE: 3 HR 0 MINS, LEAN MIXTURE TO 70 PERCENT PWR FUEL BURN: 21 GALLONS WITH 3 1/12 GALLONS RESERVE (35 MINS) AT APPROX AM10, WHEN APPROX 5 NM FROM DEST ARPT WITH ARPT IN SIGHT, THE ENG BEGAN TO VARY IN RPM. THE PROPER CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND ALTHOUGH THE ENG WAS DEVELOPING PWR, I ELECTED TO DISCONTINUE TO THE DEST ARPT DUE TO THE PROX OF THE TOWN AND A LARGE LAKE. A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS MADE ON A SUITABLE PAVED RURAL ROAD THAT HAD NO OBSTACLES OR TFC. THE LNDG WAS MADE WITH THE ENG STILL DEVELOPING PWR AND A SUBSEQUENT TAXI TO A RESIDENCE WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED APPROX 4 GALLONS OF FUEL ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT EVEN IN QUANTITY. VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWED THE L TANK TO STILL HAVE FUEL BUT THE R RANK NEARLY EMPTY. THE REMAINING FUEL WAS DRAINED IN CASE IT MAY HAVE CONTAINED WATER (NONE VISIBLE) 10 GALLONS OF 100 LL WAS THEN ADDED AND AN INSPECTION OF THE ENG WAS MADE INCLUDING A FULL PWR RUNUP. AFTER SEVERAL TESTS AND CAREFUL PLANNING I WAS SATISFIED THE ENG WAS DEVELOPING FULL PWR AND ALONE FLEW THE AIRPLANE ON TO THE DEST WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.