Flight assist to prevent fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	288137
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : m54 airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : bna
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 135 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	288137
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed cullman, al, for gallatin, tn -- a flight that I planned to be approximately 1 hour duration. I had flight planned that I had 30 gallons of fuel for the trip. I had first called for WX en route and destination WX and was given the closest WX to my destination (nashville, tn). As currently reporting 2500 ft broken rapidly improving to 3000 ft scattered before my arrival time, visibility in excess of 10 mi. However on my arrival at gallatin, I found the WX to be solid undercast (I was at 5500 ft). Fuel on board at this time was roughly 14 gallons, but both fuel gauges read empty. I quickly assessed the situation and decided I should get an assist in landing my plane from nashville approach radar. Although a VFR pilot, I thought my chances of getting on the ground safely were much better with approach assisting since I could not find a hole and the gauges were dead empty. Approach first vectored me southerly to smyrna, tn, where VFR conditions were reported. Finding no VFR conditions and the fuel situation being critical, I told nashville approach I needed to get down. The controller assisted my descent and I broke into clear air about 1300-1400 ft MSL. The aircraft engine quit on downwind to runway 35. I immediately changed tanks, went to low prime, restarted the engine and landed without further problems. This incident occurred as a result of a poor WX forecast. I believe my decisions under the circumstances were justified, and that my actions were correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ASSIST TO PREVENT FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED CULLMAN, AL, FOR GALLATIN, TN -- A FLT THAT I PLANNED TO BE APPROX 1 HR DURATION. I HAD FLT PLANNED THAT I HAD 30 GALLONS OF FUEL FOR THE TRIP. I HAD FIRST CALLED FOR WX ENRTE AND DEST WX AND WAS GIVEN THE CLOSEST WX TO MY DEST (NASHVILLE, TN). AS CURRENTLY RPTING 2500 FT BROKEN RAPIDLY IMPROVING TO 3000 FT SCATTERED BEFORE MY ARR TIME, VISIBILITY IN EXCESS OF 10 MI. HOWEVER ON MY ARR AT GALLATIN, I FOUND THE WX TO BE SOLID UNDERCAST (I WAS AT 5500 FT). FUEL ON BOARD AT THIS TIME WAS ROUGHLY 14 GALLONS, BUT BOTH FUEL GAUGES READ EMPTY. I QUICKLY ASSESSED THE SIT AND DECIDED I SHOULD GET AN ASSIST IN LNDG MY PLANE FROM NASHVILLE APCH RADAR. ALTHOUGH A VFR PLT, I THOUGHT MY CHANCES OF GETTING ON THE GND SAFELY WERE MUCH BETTER WITH APCH ASSISTING SINCE I COULD NOT FIND A HOLE AND THE GAUGES WERE DEAD EMPTY. APCH FIRST VECTORED ME SOUTHERLY TO SMYRNA, TN, WHERE VFR CONDITIONS WERE RPTED. FINDING NO VFR CONDITIONS AND THE FUEL SIT BEING CRITICAL, I TOLD NASHVILLE APCH I NEEDED TO GET DOWN. THE CTLR ASSISTED MY DSCNT AND I BROKE INTO CLR AIR ABOUT 1300-1400 FT MSL. THE ACFT ENG QUIT ON DOWNWIND TO RWY 35. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED TANKS, WENT TO LOW PRIME, RESTARTED THE ENG AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF A POOR WX FORECAST. I BELIEVE MY DECISIONS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE JUSTIFIED, AND THAT MY ACTIONS WERE CORRECT.

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.