Low altitude civil operation by 2 float planes in search of fuel stop.

Attributes
ACN	311925
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phn
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aeronca Champion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 3725 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	311925
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 535 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	311926
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Was on my way to oshkosh flying my aeronca chief float plane. Was looking for a fuel stop (seaplane base, marina) getting low on fuel. Cruise altitude approximately 800 ft, but went lower to look for fuel pumps at likely docks. Did not find any likely fuel docks for length of river. Found a marina at lexington, mi, and fueled up. Continued on way. There are very few seaplane bases, therefore finding fuel stops is difficult. I don't feel we endangered anybody, after all you have to come down low to land. Supplemental information from acn 311926: I was flying my piper cub float plane to the eaa airshow at oshkosh. I was low on fuel and flew north on the detroit river looking for a marina where I could land for fuel. I was very careful to stay clear of any boats operating on the river and did not present a safety problem to anyone. I found a marina at lexington, mi, and was able to obtain fuel and continue to oshkosh. A contributing factor to this problem is the lack of published seaplane bases in this area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP BY 2 FLOAT PLANES IN SEARCH OF FUEL STOP.

Narrative: WAS ON MY WAY TO OSHKOSH FLYING MY AERONCA CHIEF FLOAT PLANE. WAS LOOKING FOR A FUEL STOP (SEAPLANE BASE, MARINA) GETTING LOW ON FUEL. CRUISE ALT APPROX 800 FT, BUT WENT LOWER TO LOOK FOR FUEL PUMPS AT LIKELY DOCKS. DID NOT FIND ANY LIKELY FUEL DOCKS FOR LENGTH OF RIVER. FOUND A MARINA AT LEXINGTON, MI, AND FUELED UP. CONTINUED ON WAY. THERE ARE VERY FEW SEAPLANE BASES, THEREFORE FINDING FUEL STOPS IS DIFFICULT. I DON'T FEEL WE ENDANGERED ANYBODY, AFTER ALL YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN LOW TO LAND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 311926: I WAS FLYING MY PIPER CUB FLOAT PLANE TO THE EAA AIRSHOW AT OSHKOSH. I WAS LOW ON FUEL AND FLEW N ON THE DETROIT RIVER LOOKING FOR A MARINA WHERE I COULD LAND FOR FUEL. I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO STAY CLR OF ANY BOATS OPERATING ON THE RIVER AND DID NOT PRESENT A SAFETY PROB TO ANYONE. I FOUND A MARINA AT LEXINGTON, MI, AND WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN FUEL AND CONTINUE TO OSHKOSH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS PROB IS THE LACK OF PUBLISHED SEAPLANE BASES IN THIS AREA.

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.