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A low time private pilot caused a pilot induced fuel starvation situation while performing a go around.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 482424 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200008 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | landing : go around |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 465 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 482424 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I executed a short approach to runway 24 from a right downwind. After a missed approach, I did a go around. At 500 ft, my engine spit and sputtered and RPM's dropped to 800 RPM. My first reaction was of total disbelief. I first put the plane into a left crosswind, then radioed an emergency to the ATC controller. Looking straight ahead, I knew there was no open area to land, so I knew that my only chance was to slowly turn back left without stalling my wing and land somewhere on the airport grounds. This was successful without any injury to myself or any property or my plane. I first thanked god, then radioed the tower that I was ok. The cause of this incident was pilot error. I had the fuel selector on the right tank. Though there were 3 gallons of fuel in the right tank and 9 gallons in the left tank, my steep 30 degree bank on the short approach caused the available fuel in the right tank to travel to the wingtip creating an air pocket in the fuel line, which caused the engine to stall out just before landing. After Q hour, I had the plane refueled, put the selector switch on both tanks and went back up flying for another 1/2 hour. If I didn't do this at this time, then I feel that I probably would have been very much afraid to have flown again. And after talking with my instructor and other pilots, I have decided to leave the fuel selector on both tanks.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A LOW TIME PVT PLT CAUSED A PLT INDUCED FUEL STARVATION SIT WHILE PERFORMING A GAR.
Narrative: I EXECUTED A SHORT APCH TO RWY 24 FROM A R DOWNWIND. AFTER A MISSED APCH, I DID A GAR. AT 500 FT, MY ENG SPIT AND SPUTTERED AND RPM'S DROPPED TO 800 RPM. MY FIRST REACTION WAS OF TOTAL DISBELIEF. I FIRST PUT THE PLANE INTO A L XWIND, THEN RADIOED AN EMER TO THE ATC CTLR. LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD, I KNEW THERE WAS NO OPEN AREA TO LAND, SO I KNEW THAT MY ONLY CHANCE WAS TO SLOWLY TURN BACK L WITHOUT STALLING MY WING AND LAND SOMEWHERE ON THE ARPT GNDS. THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT ANY INJURY TO MYSELF OR ANY PROPERTY OR MY PLANE. I FIRST THANKED GOD, THEN RADIOED THE TWR THAT I WAS OK. THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS PLT ERROR. I HAD THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE R TANK. THOUGH THERE WERE 3 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE R TANK AND 9 GALLONS IN THE L TANK, MY STEEP 30 DEG BANK ON THE SHORT APCH CAUSED THE AVAILABLE FUEL IN THE R TANK TO TRAVEL TO THE WINGTIP CREATING AN AIR POCKET IN THE FUEL LINE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENG TO STALL OUT JUST BEFORE LNDG. AFTER Q HR, I HAD THE PLANE REFUELED, PUT THE SELECTOR SWITCH ON BOTH TANKS AND WENT BACK UP FLYING FOR ANOTHER 1/2 HR. IF I DIDN'T DO THIS AT THIS TIME, THEN I FEEL THAT I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH AFRAID TO HAVE FLOWN AGAIN. AND AFTER TALKING WITH MY INSTRUCTOR AND OTHER PLTS, I HAVE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE FUEL SELECTOR ON BOTH TANKS.
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.