An small aircraft helicopter reporter pilot departed for destination airport with inadequate fuel. A...

Attributes
ACN	386064
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anq
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 132
ASRS Report	386064
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After visually inspecting fuel level at smo, I approximated 20 gallons of fuel (1.5 hours) and departed for anq (approximately 40 mins). During cruise, I suspected fuel was lower than expected. Refueling showed only .6 gallons (approximately 5 mins) remained after shutdown. The possible causes: a) for the first time ever I failed to visually check the fuel level after an earlier refueling. B) the helicopter is consuming more than the published 13 gph. Mistakes I made: 1) 'a' mentioned above. 2) not making a precautionary landing. Future actions to take: 1) determine the actual fuel burn. 2) don't pass up refueling before departing an airport. 3) instruct passenger to be prepared to reset the starter circuit breaker (it is opened after engine start) if directed to do so. This would enable a possible engine restart. Although I fell into an obvious error chain, I did do some things right. 1) reduced engine power to conserve fuel. 2) kept emergency landing zones within range as much as possible. 3) avoided turns which might have prevented the fuel that was remaining in the tanks from being available at the tank outlet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA HELI RPTR PLT DEPARTED FOR DEST ARPT WITH INADEQUATE FUEL. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN, RPTR DISCOVERED THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 5 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING.

Narrative: AFTER VISUALLY INSPECTING FUEL LEVEL AT SMO, I APPROXIMATED 20 GALLONS OF FUEL (1.5 HRS) AND DEPARTED FOR ANQ (APPROX 40 MINS). DURING CRUISE, I SUSPECTED FUEL WAS LOWER THAN EXPECTED. REFUELING SHOWED ONLY .6 GALLONS (APPROX 5 MINS) REMAINED AFTER SHUTDOWN. THE POSSIBLE CAUSES: A) FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER I FAILED TO VISUALLY CHK THE FUEL LEVEL AFTER AN EARLIER REFUELING. B) THE HELI IS CONSUMING MORE THAN THE PUBLISHED 13 GPH. MISTAKES I MADE: 1) 'A' MENTIONED ABOVE. 2) NOT MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. FUTURE ACTIONS TO TAKE: 1) DETERMINE THE ACTUAL FUEL BURN. 2) DON'T PASS UP REFUELING BEFORE DEPARTING AN ARPT. 3) INSTRUCT PAX TO BE PREPARED TO RESET THE STARTER CIRCUIT BREAKER (IT IS OPENED AFTER ENG START) IF DIRECTED TO DO SO. THIS WOULD ENABLE A POSSIBLE ENG RESTART. ALTHOUGH I FELL INTO AN OBVIOUS ERROR CHAIN, I DID DO SOME THINGS RIGHT. 1) REDUCED ENG PWR TO CONSERVE FUEL. 2) KEPT EMER LNDG ZONES WITHIN RANGE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 3) AVOIDED TURNS WHICH MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE FUEL THAT WAS REMAINING IN THE TANKS FROM BEING AVAILABLE AT THE TANK OUTLET.

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.

An small aircraft helicopter reporter pilot departed for destination airport with inadequate fuel. After shutting down, reporter discovered there was only about 5 mins of fuel remaining.