Small transport pilot allows one of his fuel tanks to run dry at 13500 ft. In doing so he experienced a vapor lock but was able to restart the engine at 5500 ft. He had received a vector from ZDC to mtn airport. Wants an aural warning device for unmonitored fuel and oil pressure drops.

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Attributes
ACN	372343
Time
Date	199706
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mtn
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 13500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	372343
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Dca to mtn, failure in fuel management planning. In a high wing single engine aircraft, which I had not flown for a while, at 13500 ft, I exhausted fuel in 1 tank and the engine sucked a lot of air before I was able to switch tanks. When I did so, the engine would not restart. I declared an emergency, requested radar vectors to mtn, spiraled down and achieved a restart about 5500 ft. Emergency equipment had already deployed. No report was requested or submitted. However the incident was a memorable one. The pilot can know when a tank will run dry if he keeps his eyes glued to the fuel pressure gauge. However, that is impossible. There are too many other things at which, or for which, he must look, including other traffic in an ever more congested airspace. Suggestion: both the fuel pressure and the oil pressure gauges should have an aural warning of dropping pressure so that the pilot's attention will be called to these matters when they become time critical and he can address them promptly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT ALLOWS ONE OF HIS FUEL TANKS TO RUN DRY AT 13500 FT. IN DOING SO HE EXPERIENCED A VAPOR LOCK BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENG AT 5500 FT. HE HAD RECEIVED A VECTOR FROM ZDC TO MTN ARPT. WANTS AN AURAL WARNING DEVICE FOR UNMONITORED FUEL AND OIL PRESSURE DROPS.

Narrative: DCA TO MTN, FAILURE IN FUEL MGMNT PLANNING. IN A HIGH WING SINGLE ENG ACFT, WHICH I HAD NOT FLOWN FOR A WHILE, AT 13500 FT, I EXHAUSTED FUEL IN 1 TANK AND THE ENG SUCKED A LOT OF AIR BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO SWITCH TANKS. WHEN I DID SO, THE ENG WOULD NOT RESTART. I DECLARED AN EMER, REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO MTN, SPIRALED DOWN AND ACHIEVED A RESTART ABOUT 5500 FT. EMER EQUIP HAD ALREADY DEPLOYED. NO RPT WAS REQUESTED OR SUBMITTED. HOWEVER THE INCIDENT WAS A MEMORABLE ONE. THE PLT CAN KNOW WHEN A TANK WILL RUN DRY IF HE KEEPS HIS EYES GLUED TO THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE. HOWEVER, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. THERE ARE TOO MANY OTHER THINGS AT WHICH, OR FOR WHICH, HE MUST LOOK, INCLUDING OTHER TFC IN AN EVER MORE CONGESTED AIRSPACE. SUGGESTION: BOTH THE FUEL PRESSURE AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGES SHOULD HAVE AN AURAL WARNING OF DROPPING PRESSURE SO THAT THE PLT'S ATTN WILL BE CALLED TO THESE MATTERS WHEN THEY BECOME TIME CRITICAL AND HE CAN ADDRESS THEM PROMPTLY.

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.