Narrative:

Reported to montgomery tower approximately 3 mi north of mount soledad. I was asked to report at mount soledad for clearance (mty was under basic VFR, ceiling 900 ft). At mount soledad I reported and was cleared to proceed inbound. At that time, I turned inbound and the low fuel light flickered. As I proceeded inbound, the light flickered again. At that time, I informed the tower that I had a low fuel light indication and that I was going to make a precautionary landing. I selected an open area and landed in what appeared to be a storage of trailers that was empty except for 1 trailer parked against the fence. I estimate the size of the area 150-200 ft wide and 500 ft long. Upon landing, I inspected the helicopter and visually checked the fuel level. It appeared to be approximately 1.5 - 2 gallons. The man guarding the place gave me 1/2 gallon of fuel which I poured to mix with existing fuel to make sure I could arrive at montgomery field with no problem. Montgomery field is approximately 4-5 mi from the site. The fuel in the helicopter I estimated to be approximately 4 gallons on departure (helicopter was topped off 19.2 gallons. Then it flew 1.2 hours at 7.2 gallons = 8.7 gallons. 19.2 - 8.7 = 10.5 gallons). Montgomery field is 85 NM from long beach at an airspeed of 85 KTS 1 hour (I had 90 indicated). This amount of fuel should have lasted for at least 1.5 hours not 1 hour. At this time I feel that when I turned inbound I maybe banked too fast and that made my light come on, or else I don't know how it happened. But after I took off from the precautionary landing site, the light did not come on again. At this point I feel I did the right thing by making said landing and being safe, but I feel that the FAA is not concerned with safety, but on finding violations to enforce.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT HAS LOW FUEL LIGHT ACTIVATE. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: RPTED TO MONTGOMERY TWR APPROX 3 MI N OF MOUNT SOLEDAD. I WAS ASKED TO RPT AT MOUNT SOLEDAD FOR CLRNC (MTY WAS UNDER BASIC VFR, CEILING 900 FT). AT MOUNT SOLEDAD I RPTED AND WAS CLRED TO PROCEED INBOUND. AT THAT TIME, I TURNED INBOUND AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT FLICKERED. AS I PROCEEDED INBOUND, THE LIGHT FLICKERED AGAIN. AT THAT TIME, I INFORMED THE TWR THAT I HAD A LOW FUEL LIGHT INDICATION AND THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I SELECTED AN OPEN AREA AND LANDED IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STORAGE OF TRAILERS THAT WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR 1 TRAILER PARKED AGAINST THE FENCE. I ESTIMATE THE SIZE OF THE AREA 150-200 FT WIDE AND 500 FT LONG. UPON LNDG, I INSPECTED THE HELI AND VISUALLY CHKED THE FUEL LEVEL. IT APPEARED TO BE APPROX 1.5 - 2 GALLONS. THE MAN GUARDING THE PLACE GAVE ME 1/2 GALLON OF FUEL WHICH I POURED TO MIX WITH EXISTING FUEL TO MAKE SURE I COULD ARRIVE AT MONTGOMERY FIELD WITH NO PROB. MONTGOMERY FIELD IS APPROX 4-5 MI FROM THE SITE. THE FUEL IN THE HELI I ESTIMATED TO BE APPROX 4 GALLONS ON DEP (HELI WAS TOPPED OFF 19.2 GALLONS. THEN IT FLEW 1.2 HRS AT 7.2 GALLONS = 8.7 GALLONS. 19.2 - 8.7 = 10.5 GALLONS). MONTGOMERY FIELD IS 85 NM FROM LONG BEACH AT AN AIRSPD OF 85 KTS 1 HR (I HAD 90 INDICATED). THIS AMOUNT OF FUEL SHOULD HAVE LASTED FOR AT LEAST 1.5 HRS NOT 1 HR. AT THIS TIME I FEEL THAT WHEN I TURNED INBOUND I MAYBE BANKED TOO FAST AND THAT MADE MY LIGHT COME ON, OR ELSE I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED. BUT AFTER I TOOK OFF FROM THE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG SITE, THE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I FEEL I DID THE RIGHT THING BY MAKING SAID LNDG AND BEING SAFE, BUT I FEEL THAT THE FAA IS NOT CONCERNED WITH SAFETY, BUT ON FINDING VIOLATIONS TO ENFORCE.

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.