Small aircraft suffers temporary loss of engine power due to low fuel, fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	307278
Time
Date	199506
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fcm
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fcm
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 278 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	307278
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Fuel burn excessive due to the headwinds and engine burning much more than pilot operating handbook indicated. Then when turning 30 degree bank for final, fuel probably imported from fuel pump. Switched fuel tanks made normal landing and engine resumed normal operations approximately 5 seconds after switching fuel tanks. By this time advised tower of possible emergency landing east of field and fuel system problems. Tower cleared me to land any runway. Proceeded to land uneventfully. Called tower upon landing and discussed problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA SUFFERS TEMPORARY LOSS OF ENG PWR DUE TO LOW FUEL, FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: FUEL BURN EXCESSIVE DUE TO THE HEADWINDS AND ENG BURNING MUCH MORE THAN PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK INDICATED. THEN WHEN TURNING 30 DEG BANK FOR FINAL, FUEL PROBABLY IMPORTED FROM FUEL PUMP. SWITCHED FUEL TANKS MADE NORMAL LNDG AND ENG RESUMED NORMAL OPS APPROX 5 SECONDS AFTER SWITCHING FUEL TANKS. BY THIS TIME ADVISED TWR OF POSSIBLE EMER LNDG E OF FIELD AND FUEL SYS PROBS. TWR CLRED ME TO LAND ANY RWY. PROCEEDED TO LAND UNEVENTFULLY. CALLED TWR UPON LNDG AND DISCUSSED PROB.

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.