Small aircraft has engine sputter during cruise. Diverts to AFB to land.

Attributes
ACN	264994
Time
Date	199403
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fwh
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fwh
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 660 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	264994
Person 2
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

A passenger and I were en route from F54 to wichita falls. While flying nwbound, northwest of meacham airport, my engine started to sputter. The fuel pressure gauge was reading below the green. I turned on the electric fuel pump to help maintain fuel pressure, however, the gauge was reading in the low green to red. At that time I turned sebound for alliance airport. En route I realized that I was closer to carswell AFB and decided to make a landing there. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states the engine never stopped but continued to sputter and indicate fuel pressure problems. He sent report as he was unsure if he violated any regulations in landing at the AFB. Plenty of fuel, 4 hours worth, was aboard but not getting to the engine properly. Maintenance replaced both the electric and engine driven fuel pumps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ENG SPUTTER DURING CRUISE. DIVERTS TO AFB TO LAND.

Narrative: A PAX AND I WERE ENRTE FROM F54 TO WICHITA FALLS. WHILE FLYING NWBOUND, NW OF MEACHAM ARPT, MY ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER. THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS READING BELOW THE GREEN. I TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP TO HELP MAINTAIN FUEL PRESSURE, HOWEVER, THE GAUGE WAS READING IN THE LOW GREEN TO RED. AT THAT TIME I TURNED SEBOUND FOR ALLIANCE ARPT. ENRTE I REALIZED THAT I WAS CLOSER TO CARSWELL AFB AND DECIDED TO MAKE A LNDG THERE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THE ENG NEVER STOPPED BUT CONTINUED TO SPUTTER AND INDICATE FUEL PRESSURE PROBS. HE SENT RPT AS HE WAS UNSURE IF HE VIOLATED ANY REGS IN LNDG AT THE AFB. PLENTY OF FUEL, 4 HRS WORTH, WAS ABOARD BUT NOT GETTING TO THE ENG PROPERLY. MAINT REPLACED BOTH THE ELECTRIC AND ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMPS.

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.