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A pilot who was flying skydivers ran out of fuel after dropping his final load. The aircraft was landed in a field 1 NM from the airport and fueled, and then returned to the airport. The reporter states that company policy regarding fuel versus the loads of skydivers to be carried, has been changed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332576 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 3v5 |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 332576 |
| Person 2 | |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 15 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was flying skydivers and I was on my third load and ran out of fuel. My past experience with this airplane, and the other pilot's experience, found the aircraft to burn 8-10 gals per load. Aircraft has two 40 gal tanks, however, we use only one. On final I was approximately 1500 ft and 2 NM from the airport. The engine lost power, I realized I was out of fuel and landed in a field approximately 1 NM from the airport. The contributing factors included miscalculation of fuel burn and a bad company policy. The new policy is 2 loads per tank. The aircraft and pilot were not damaged. I got permission from the owner of the land to use a dirt road on his property as a runway. We refueled and I took off and went back to the airport.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PLT WHO WAS FLYING SKYDIVERS RAN OUT OF FUEL AFTER DROPPING HIS FINAL LOAD. THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN A FIELD 1 NM FROM THE ARPT AND FUELED, AND THEN RETURNED TO THE ARPT. THE RPTR STATES THAT COMPANY POLICY REGARDING FUEL VERSUS THE LOADS OF SKYDIVERS TO BE CARRIED, HAS BEEN CHANGED.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING SKYDIVERS AND I WAS ON MY THIRD LOAD AND RAN OUT OF FUEL. MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH THIS AIRPLANE, AND THE OTHER PLT'S EXPERIENCE, FOUND THE ACFT TO BURN 8-10 GALS PER LOAD. ACFT HAS TWO 40 GAL TANKS, HOWEVER, WE USE ONLY ONE. ON FINAL I WAS APPROX 1500 FT AND 2 NM FROM THE ARPT. THE ENG LOST PWR, I REALIZED I WAS OUT OF FUEL AND LANDED IN A FIELD APPROX 1 NM FROM THE ARPT. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED MISCALCULATION OF FUEL BURN AND A BAD COMPANY POLICY. THE NEW POLICY IS 2 LOADS PER TANK. THE ACFT AND PLT WERE NOT DAMAGED. I GOT PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER OF THE LAND TO USE A DIRT ROAD ON HIS PROPERTY AS A RWY. WE REFUELED AND I TOOK OFF AND WENT BACK TO THE ARPT.
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.