Small aircraft flight 40 mins longer than planned. Lands with low fuel state.

Attributes
ACN	264031
Time
Date	199402
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lhc
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 123 flight time type : 123
ASRS Report	264031
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cross country flight planned from ict to lhc. Scheduled flight was 424 NM and in a cessna 172 burning 8 gallons per hour. Total fuel consumption was planned for 3 hours and 41 mins. Flight actual time was 4 hours 24 mins, resulting in the low fuel incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that engine ran rough, actually sputtered about 6 mi from airport. He told mem controller of problem, but landed and taxied safely to tie-down. Never really ran out of fuel. He feels engine sputter may have been due to his crab angle, and then a wing up due to turbulence. Fuel was low and could have carried fuel to wingtip. He was aware of the time flown and had called ATC for verification of speed several times. Since he is a low time pilot, he was advised it is better to stop for fuel than to sputter on final.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLT 40 MINS LONGER THAN PLANNED. LANDS WITH LOW FUEL STATE.

Narrative: XCOUNTRY FLT PLANNED FROM ICT TO LHC. SCHEDULED FLT WAS 424 NM AND IN A CESSNA 172 BURNING 8 GALLONS PER HR. TOTAL FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS PLANNED FOR 3 HRS AND 41 MINS. FLT ACTUAL TIME WAS 4 HRS 24 MINS, RESULTING IN THE LOW FUEL INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT ENG RAN ROUGH, ACTUALLY SPUTTERED ABOUT 6 MI FROM ARPT. HE TOLD MEM CTLR OF PROB, BUT LANDED AND TAXIED SAFELY TO TIE-DOWN. NEVER REALLY RAN OUT OF FUEL. HE FEELS ENG SPUTTER MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO HIS CRAB ANGLE, AND THEN A WING UP DUE TO TURB. FUEL WAS LOW AND COULD HAVE CARRIED FUEL TO WINGTIP. HE WAS AWARE OF THE TIME FLOWN AND HAD CALLED ATC FOR VERIFICATION OF SPD SEVERAL TIMES. SINCE HE IS A LOW TIME PLT, HE WAS ADVISED IT IS BETTER TO STOP FOR FUEL THAN TO SPUTTER ON FINAL.

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.