A C340 ferry flight pilot, low on fuel, makes an emergency diversion to alternate for fuel

Attributes
ACN	349242
Time
Date	199610
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mtu
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna 340/340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 208 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 755
ASRS Report	349242
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Had charter flight oct/tue/96 to ferry pia-ida pickup 3 passenger in ida and take to moab-canyon lands airport cny. I had preflted the aircraft the evening before takeoff and observed both mains and both auxiliary tanks full. On departure I noticed the gauge did not read full and I discounted the gauges because I had observed them full. I departed ida at AB25 am and at AC10 am I switched to the auxiliary tanks. The left auxiliary was drained in approximately 20 mins. At this time I realized that gauges were probably correct and after switching back to mains I proceeded to find the nearest airport which was U69 and was able to land there under power, but with critical amount of fuel left. The aircraft is leased and the owner flew the aircraft approximately 2.5 hours during the night and it did not show this on our schedule. In meeting with our chief pilot and director of operations we are using this incident as a training tool and we are evaluating our preflight procedures and scheduling procedures to prevent this type problem from happening again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C340 FERRY FLT PLT, LOW ON FUEL, MAKES AN EMER DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE FOR FUEL

Narrative: HAD CHARTER FLT OCT/TUE/96 TO FERRY PIA-IDA PICKUP 3 PAX IN IDA AND TAKE TO MOAB-CANYON LANDS ARPT CNY. I HAD PREFLTED THE ACFT THE EVENING BEFORE TKOF AND OBSERVED BOTH MAINS AND BOTH AUX TANKS FULL. ON DEP I NOTICED THE GAUGE DID NOT READ FULL AND I DISCOUNTED THE GAUGES BECAUSE I HAD OBSERVED THEM FULL. I DEPARTED IDA AT AB25 AM AND AT AC10 AM I SWITCHED TO THE AUX TANKS. THE L AUX WAS DRAINED IN APPROX 20 MINS. AT THIS TIME I REALIZED THAT GAUGES WERE PROBABLY CORRECT AND AFTER SWITCHING BACK TO MAINS I PROCEEDED TO FIND THE NEAREST ARPT WHICH WAS U69 AND WAS ABLE TO LAND THERE UNDER PWR, BUT WITH CRITICAL AMOUNT OF FUEL LEFT. THE ACFT IS LEASED AND THE OWNER FLEW THE ACFT APPROX 2.5 HRS DURING THE NIGHT AND IT DID NOT SHOW THIS ON OUR SCHEDULE. IN MEETING WITH OUR CHIEF PLT AND DIRECTOR OF OPS WE ARE USING THIS INCIDENT AS A TRAINING TOOL AND WE ARE EVALUATING OUR PREFLT PROCS AND SCHEDULING PROCS TO PREVENT THIS TYPE PROB FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

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.