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Instructional flight ends with an off airport landing because of fuel starvation. There was fuel onboard.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 485905 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200009 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : chd.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | agl single value : 450 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : p50.tracon tower : chd.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : circling approach : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 485905 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time total : 100 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
A student and myself were on an instrument training approach at the MDA 1/2 mi north of runway when the engine began running rough. At that point I had her switch tanks and at 450 ft AGL realized I could not make the runway without causing major injury and damage on a circle to land approach. I then landed straight ahead in a plowed field off airport. There was no injury or damage and the aircraft was flying within a few hours. Prior to the flight I asked the 100+ hour pilot how much fuel was in each tank and she replied 'up to the tabs' which is minimum 17 gals/tank in a PA28161. During our approach checklist we turned the fuel pump on and pushed the mixture to full rich position and I told her not to switch tanks because after a 1.2 hour flight we had more than 1 hour of gas left. It so happened that we left with only 8 gals in the fuel tank and she misread the fuel level. After switching tanks, there was not enough time for the fuel level to fill the line and restart the engine. This could have been avoided by myself paying more attention to fuel management.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: INSTRUCTIONAL FLT ENDS WITH AN OFF ARPT LNDG BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION. THERE WAS FUEL ONBOARD.
Narrative: A STUDENT AND MYSELF WERE ON AN INST TRAINING APCH AT THE MDA 1/2 MI N OF RWY WHEN THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. AT THAT POINT I HAD HER SWITCH TANKS AND AT 450 FT AGL REALIZED I COULD NOT MAKE THE RWY WITHOUT CAUSING MAJOR INJURY AND DAMAGE ON A CIRCLE TO LAND APCH. I THEN LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A PLOWED FIELD OFF ARPT. THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DAMAGE AND THE ACFT WAS FLYING WITHIN A FEW HRS. PRIOR TO THE FLT I ASKED THE 100+ HR PLT HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN EACH TANK AND SHE REPLIED 'UP TO THE TABS' WHICH IS MINIMUM 17 GALS/TANK IN A PA28161. DURING OUR APCH CHKLIST WE TURNED THE FUEL PUMP ON AND PUSHED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH POS AND I TOLD HER NOT TO SWITCH TANKS BECAUSE AFTER A 1.2 HR FLT WE HAD MORE THAN 1 HR OF GAS LEFT. IT SO HAPPENED THAT WE LEFT WITH ONLY 8 GALS IN THE FUEL TANK AND SHE MISREAD THE FUEL LEVEL. AFTER SWITCHING TANKS, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THE FUEL LEVEL TO FILL THE LINE AND RESTART THE ENG. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY MYSELF PAYING MORE ATTN TO FUEL MGMNT.
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.