Fuel exhaustion in small aircraft in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	246426
Time
Date	199307
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sik
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 144 flight time type : 144
ASRS Report	246426
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far 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:

In sum: abbreviated report: reporter left last refueling airport and failed to note the hour of departure, just the time, 33 past an hour. Numerous detours via radar vectors due to thunderstorm activity stretched the time en route. Pilot was diligent in switching tanks every 30 mins to provide tank balance. When finally asked by center controller, who was giving WX advisories, how much fuel remaining, pilot replied 2 hours 15 mins when he actually had only 1 hour 15 mins on board. Darkness was approaching when his engine sputtered, took up again when switching to other tank and then quit. He couldn't see very well so he put the aircraft down on an active highway that contained moving vehicles, near his diversion airport that was just out of reach. Had aircraft towed to airport the next day, refueled and departed for home. No damage to aircraft. Reporter had his wife and child with him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EXHAUSTION IN SMA IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: IN SUM: ABBREVIATED RPT: RPTR LEFT LAST REFUELING ARPT AND FAILED TO NOTE THE HR OF DEP, JUST THE TIME, 33 PAST AN HR. NUMEROUS DETOURS VIA RADAR VECTORS DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY STRETCHED THE TIME ENRTE. PLT WAS DILIGENT IN SWITCHING TANKS EVERY 30 MINS TO PROVIDE TANK BAL. WHEN FINALLY ASKED BY CTR CTLR, WHO WAS GIVING WX ADVISORIES, HOW MUCH FUEL REMAINING, PLT REPLIED 2 HRS 15 MINS WHEN HE ACTUALLY HAD ONLY 1 HR 15 MINS ON BOARD. DARKNESS WAS APCHING WHEN HIS ENG SPUTTERED, TOOK UP AGAIN WHEN SWITCHING TO OTHER TANK AND THEN QUIT. HE COULDN'T SEE VERY WELL SO HE PUT THE ACFT DOWN ON AN ACTIVE HWY THAT CONTAINED MOVING VEHICLES, NEAR HIS DIVERSION ARPT THAT WAS JUST OUT OF REACH. HAD ACFT TOWED TO ARPT THE NEXT DAY, REFUELED AND DEPARTED FOR HOME. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. RPTR HAD HIS WIFE AND CHILD WITH HIM.

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.