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Fuel gauges in small aircraft reading in error. Private pilot operates on the margin of fuel exhaustion on 2 leg hop to rap, sd.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 284815 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199406 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rap |
| State Reference | SD |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : det |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 210 flight time type : 110 |
| ASRS Report | 284815 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed apa with sufficient fuel to complete the flight plus night VFR requirement, plus a bit more, but the aircraft was not topped off with fuel. Fuel burn throughout the flight to rapid city appeared to be normal. Last stop for fuel en route to rap was chadron, northeast, I calculated the fuel born from chadron to rap (according to the indicated fuel quantity), figured in the reserve and thought there was enough fuel to complete the flight plus have enough for reserve (plus about 15 more mins), however, when almost at rap the fuel indicated a few needle widths above empty. After landing, the aircraft took on 39 gallons (40 usable) and was much lower than the fuel burn I had calculated (obviously). I know now my mistake in this matter was in trusting the fuel indicators and not making sure the tanks were topped (I had no reason to take on a reduced fuel load, someone had flown it before me).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FUEL GAUGES IN SMA READING IN ERROR. PVT PLT OPERATES ON THE MARGIN OF FUEL EXHAUSTION ON 2 LEG HOP TO RAP, SD.
Narrative: DEPARTED APA WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLT PLUS NIGHT VFR REQUIREMENT, PLUS A BIT MORE, BUT THE ACFT WAS NOT TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. FUEL BURN THROUGHOUT THE FLT TO RAPID CITY APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. LAST STOP FOR FUEL ENRTE TO RAP WAS CHADRON, NE, I CALCULATED THE FUEL BORN FROM CHADRON TO RAP (ACCORDING TO THE INDICATED FUEL QUANTITY), FIGURED IN THE RESERVE AND THOUGHT THERE WAS ENOUGH FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLT PLUS HAVE ENOUGH FOR RESERVE (PLUS ABOUT 15 MORE MINS), HOWEVER, WHEN ALMOST AT RAP THE FUEL INDICATED A FEW NEEDLE WIDTHS ABOVE EMPTY. AFTER LNDG, THE ACFT TOOK ON 39 GALLONS (40 USABLE) AND WAS MUCH LOWER THAN THE FUEL BURN I HAD CALCULATED (OBVIOUSLY). I KNOW NOW MY MISTAKE IN THIS MATTER WAS IN TRUSTING THE FUEL INDICATORS AND NOT MAKING SURE THE TANKS WERE TOPPED (I HAD NO REASON TO TAKE ON A REDUCED FUEL LOAD, SOMEONE HAD FLOWN IT BEFORE ME).
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.