Small aircraft has low fuel indication. Approach and tower decide to call emergency ground equipment...

Attributes
ACN	268222
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gqo airport : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cha
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 6950 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	268222
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan in VMC conditions from ptk (michigan). Because of an abnormally fast fuselage indication from the right wing tank, I told approach that we had a potential fuel problem and requested a straight in landing on runway 20. They provided location of other airports in our area if we chose to use them. After landing, the emergency equipment followed us to the ramp and filled out a report on our emergency. Note: we did not declare an emergency. I told cha approach and tower it was not an emergency situation on the radio, but the emergency equipment operator told me the tower had reported it as such. After refueling, we had in excess of an hours fuel remaining. The tower supervisor told me there would not be any further reports or action. This report is being filed to substantiate my position. The tower tape will show there was no emergency declared. Cha tower personnel told me this was their normal SOP.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS LOW FUEL INDICATION. APCH AND TWR DECIDE TO CALL EMER GND EQUIP.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN VMC CONDITIONS FROM PTK (MICHIGAN). BECAUSE OF AN ABNORMALLY FAST FUSELAGE INDICATION FROM THE R WING TANK, I TOLD APCH THAT WE HAD A POTENTIAL FUEL PROB AND REQUESTED A STRAIGHT IN LNDG ON RWY 20. THEY PROVIDED LOCATION OF OTHER ARPTS IN OUR AREA IF WE CHOSE TO USE THEM. AFTER LNDG, THE EMER EQUIP FOLLOWED US TO THE RAMP AND FILLED OUT A RPT ON OUR EMER. NOTE: WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. I TOLD CHA APCH AND TWR IT WAS NOT AN EMER SIT ON THE RADIO, BUT THE EMER EQUIP OPERATOR TOLD ME THE TWR HAD RPTED IT AS SUCH. AFTER REFUELING, WE HAD IN EXCESS OF AN HRS FUEL REMAINING. THE TWR SUPVR TOLD ME THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY FURTHER RPTS OR ACTION. THIS RPT IS BEING FILED TO SUBSTANTIATE MY POS. THE TWR TAPE WILL SHOW THERE WAS NO EMER DECLARED. CHA TWR PERSONNEL TOLD ME THIS WAS THEIR NORMAL SOP.

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.