<< >> NASA ASRS Report 411563, August 1998

Pilot of small aircraft encounters headwinds and slows aircraft with decrease in mixture. On approach he has engine 'stall.' lands without further problem.

Attributes
ACN	411563
Time
Date	199808
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nv10
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : nv10 tower : rno
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	411563
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was assigned a flight to an airport I have flown many times. This was a routine flight. The flight from my home went as planned. However, upon returning home I found unusual high headwinds, which caused a decreased ground speed. Calculating a longer flight time I became aware of lost fuel reserves. Took action by reducing power and mixture. Upon reaching home airport I was instructed to enter downwind. Turning downwind to base my engine stalled. With sufficient altitude I elected to land the aircraft instead of troubleshoot problem. Without further incident the aircraft landed safely. After securing aircraft I found that 1 tank was empty and the other registered approximately 12 gals (VFR minimums). I feel this incident could have been avoided with the proper use of aircraft landing checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ENCOUNTERS HEADWINDS AND SLOWS ACFT WITH DECREASE IN MIXTURE. ON APCH HE HAS ENG 'STALL.' LANDS WITHOUT FURTHER PROB.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED A FLT TO AN ARPT I HAVE FLOWN MANY TIMES. THIS WAS A ROUTINE FLT. THE FLT FROM MY HOME WENT AS PLANNED. HOWEVER, UPON RETURNING HOME I FOUND UNUSUAL HIGH HEADWINDS, WHICH CAUSED A DECREASED GND SPD. CALCULATING A LONGER FLT TIME I BECAME AWARE OF LOST FUEL RESERVES. TOOK ACTION BY REDUCING PWR AND MIXTURE. UPON REACHING HOME ARPT I WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER DOWNWIND. TURNING DOWNWIND TO BASE MY ENG STALLED. WITH SUFFICIENT ALT I ELECTED TO LAND THE ACFT INSTEAD OF TROUBLESHOOT PROB. WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY. AFTER SECURING ACFT I FOUND THAT 1 TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE OTHER REGISTERED APPROX 12 GALS (VFR MINIMUMS). I FEEL THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH THE PROPER USE OF ACFT LNDG CHKLIST.

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.