A BE35 pilot faces headwinds and unexpected WX changes that placed his aircraft into an emergency condition. He had also lost his ability to receive on VHF. He manages to land at his destination airport, tix, fl.

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Attributes
ACN	391043
Time
Date	199801
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tix
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cof tower : tix
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	391043
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I almost ran out of fuel due to stronger than forecasted winds and WX going down to below IFR minimums. At a critical point in the developing problem, I lost radio communications with patrick approach and elected to land at the destination airport without radio communication in conformance with far. I broke off the ILS approach and did a visual approach and received a green light to land at titusville. The tower operator and patrick approach did not respond to my calls. The ground controller at titusville (who was also the tower operator) told me that he could hear me but I did not hear him. I followed the procedure to land as soon as practical and I think that the WX, headwinds, shrinking dewpoint/temperature (fog) contributed to the fuel emergency. The useful gals on the BE35 (K model) is 63 gals per the book with a total of 70 gals. I put 65 gals in. I made the right decision to land and although I did not declare an emergency, it may have caused a problem for patrick or titusville. It was at AB15 am and I saw traffic depart titusville. I have scheduled some remedial flight training to become more familiar with emergency procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE35 PLT FACES HEADWINDS AND UNEXPECTED WX CHANGES THAT PLACED HIS ACFT INTO AN EMER CONDITION. HE HAD ALSO LOST HIS ABILITY TO RECEIVE ON VHF. HE MANAGES TO LAND AT HIS DEST ARPT, TIX, FL.

Narrative: I ALMOST RAN OUT OF FUEL DUE TO STRONGER THAN FORECASTED WINDS AND WX GOING DOWN TO BELOW IFR MINIMUMS. AT A CRITICAL POINT IN THE DEVELOPING PROB, I LOST RADIO COMS WITH PATRICK APCH AND ELECTED TO LAND AT THE DEST ARPT WITHOUT RADIO COM IN CONFORMANCE WITH FAR. I BROKE OFF THE ILS APCH AND DID A VISUAL APCH AND RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT TO LAND AT TITUSVILLE. THE TWR OPERATOR AND PATRICK APCH DID NOT RESPOND TO MY CALLS. THE GND CTLR AT TITUSVILLE (WHO WAS ALSO THE TWR OPERATOR) TOLD ME THAT HE COULD HEAR ME BUT I DID NOT HEAR HIM. I FOLLOWED THE PROC TO LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AND I THINK THAT THE WX, HEADWINDS, SHRINKING DEWPOINT/TEMP (FOG) CONTRIBUTED TO THE FUEL EMER. THE USEFUL GALS ON THE BE35 (K MODEL) IS 63 GALS PER THE BOOK WITH A TOTAL OF 70 GALS. I PUT 65 GALS IN. I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO LAND AND ALTHOUGH I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, IT MAY HAVE CAUSED A PROB FOR PATRICK OR TITUSVILLE. IT WAS AT AB15 AM AND I SAW TFC DEPART TITUSVILLE. I HAVE SCHEDULED SOME REMEDIAL FLT TRAINING TO BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH EMER PROCS.

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.