Pilot of a small aircraft sel ran low on fuel during an IFR approach and declared an emergency for p...

Attributes
ACN	289037
Time
Date	199411
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
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 : 100 flight time total : 380 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	289037
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flew a piper 140 from cdw to rdu filed an IFR flight plan, route schedule take plus or minus 3 hours. I got a new route from ATC and STAR information. Rdu ATC canceled this approach and gave me other vectors for different approach. This one also got canceled and ATC gave me another approach. I was already up in the air for approximately 4 hours because of the new assigned route. I filed for 4 hours of fuel aboard, while the airplane had 4 1/2 hours maximum. ATC gave me wrong vectors to intercept the 312 degrees for the VOR 32 approach. The needle was out to the right and ATC gave me a 190 degree heading to fly left. When after a couple of mins they found out that they were wrong even though I questioned them about it. ATC wanted me to do another approach when I informed ATC that I had approximately 10-15 min fuel left maximum. By then I was already up in the air for 4 1/2 hours. ATC closed rdu and emergency team was waiting for me at the end of the runway. I asked for a direct ASR approach into rdu because of low on fuel. I had of course had to fill out a report for the emergency team which I of course did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A SMA SEL RAN LOW ON FUEL DURING AN IFR APCH AND DECLARED AN EMER FOR PRIORITY HANDLING.

Narrative: FLEW A PIPER 140 FROM CDW TO RDU FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, RTE SCHEDULE TAKE PLUS OR MINUS 3 HRS. I GOT A NEW RTE FROM ATC AND STAR INFO. RDU ATC CANCELED THIS APCH AND GAVE ME OTHER VECTORS FOR DIFFERENT APCH. THIS ONE ALSO GOT CANCELED AND ATC GAVE ME ANOTHER APCH. I WAS ALREADY UP IN THE AIR FOR APPROX 4 HRS BECAUSE OF THE NEW ASSIGNED RTE. I FILED FOR 4 HRS OF FUEL ABOARD, WHILE THE AIRPLANE HAD 4 1/2 HRS MAX. ATC GAVE ME WRONG VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE 312 DEGS FOR THE VOR 32 APCH. THE NEEDLE WAS OUT TO THE R AND ATC GAVE ME A 190 DEG HDG TO FLY L. WHEN AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS THEY FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE WRONG EVEN THOUGH I QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT IT. ATC WANTED ME TO DO ANOTHER APCH WHEN I INFORMED ATC THAT I HAD APPROX 10-15 MIN FUEL LEFT MAX. BY THEN I WAS ALREADY UP IN THE AIR FOR 4 1/2 HRS. ATC CLOSED RDU AND EMER TEAM WAS WAITING FOR ME AT THE END OF THE RWY. I ASKED FOR A DIRECT ASR APCH INTO RDU BECAUSE OF LOW ON FUEL. I HAD OF COURSE HAD TO FILL OUT A RPT FOR THE EMER TEAM WHICH I OF COURSE DID.

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.

Pilot of a small aircraft sel ran low on fuel during an IFR approach and declared an emergency for priority handling.