Narrative:

At about XA00Z, I departed igx for lex on an IFR flight plan with 120 gallons of fuel. En route, I noted a low fuel pressure and activated the auxiliary 'bp' with no change. Later, I noted a higher pressure, and recycled to off, then automatic, with normalization of the fuel pressure. At this time, I was over hazard and told to descend (from FL280) when I noticed a 26-28 gallon discrepancy between the totalizer and the fuel gauges, with the totalizer and computer predicting 47 gallons on arrival. Reassured, I continued, but began to consider the possibility that the discrepancy might be explained by a fuel leak, as the totalizer calculation is based only on that fuel that passes through the instrument itself. With the increasing fuel burn on descent, I became more concerned that the drop in fuel pressure was related, and that the fuel gauges may indeed be correct. I told lex approach I wanted an expedited approach to runway 26, which they ok'ed. Nearing the field, the controller asked if I could deviation south, because of the new temporary restr area near the stadium. I firmly reiterated that I needed to 'get down,' to which he replied 'just don't overfly the stadium,' which was well to the north and not in my flight path. I landed uneventfully and found no evidence of a fuel leak, and suspected the inboard sensors, as adding more fuel decreased the difference between the totalizer and gauges. I called the tower and they informed me they were sending a report to the FSDO regarding a possible airspace encroachment, saying the temporary airspace was notamed. I received a standard briefing from raleigh FSS 3 hours prior to departure and did not receive any information on a restr area near lexington.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SOCATA TBM7 PLT CITING LOW FUEL AND PRIORITY HANDLING INADVERTENTLY ENTERS A TEMPORARY RESTR AREA NEAR THE STADIUM 5 E OF LEX, KY.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA00Z, I DEPARTED IGX FOR LEX ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH 120 GALLONS OF FUEL. ENRTE, I NOTED A LOW FUEL PRESSURE AND ACTIVATED THE AUX 'BP' WITH NO CHANGE. LATER, I NOTED A HIGHER PRESSURE, AND RECYCLED TO OFF, THEN AUTO, WITH NORMALIZATION OF THE FUEL PRESSURE. AT THIS TIME, I WAS OVER HAZARD AND TOLD TO DSND (FROM FL280) WHEN I NOTICED A 26-28 GALLON DISCREPANCY BTWN THE TOTALIZER AND THE FUEL GAUGES, WITH THE TOTALIZER AND COMPUTER PREDICTING 47 GALLONS ON ARR. REASSURED, I CONTINUED, BUT BEGAN TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE DISCREPANCY MIGHT BE EXPLAINED BY A FUEL LEAK, AS THE TOTALIZER CALCULATION IS BASED ONLY ON THAT FUEL THAT PASSES THROUGH THE INST ITSELF. WITH THE INCREASING FUEL BURN ON DSCNT, I BECAME MORE CONCERNED THAT THE DROP IN FUEL PRESSURE WAS RELATED, AND THAT THE FUEL GAUGES MAY INDEED BE CORRECT. I TOLD LEX APCH I WANTED AN EXPEDITED APCH TO RWY 26, WHICH THEY OK'ED. NEARING THE FIELD, THE CTLR ASKED IF I COULD DEV S, BECAUSE OF THE NEW TEMPORARY RESTR AREA NEAR THE STADIUM. I FIRMLY REITERATED THAT I NEEDED TO 'GET DOWN,' TO WHICH HE REPLIED 'JUST DON'T OVERFLY THE STADIUM,' WHICH WAS WELL TO THE N AND NOT IN MY FLT PATH. I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL LEAK, AND SUSPECTED THE INBOARD SENSORS, AS ADDING MORE FUEL DECREASED THE DIFFERENCE BTWN THE TOTALIZER AND GAUGES. I CALLED THE TWR AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY WERE SENDING A RPT TO THE FSDO REGARDING A POSSIBLE AIRSPACE ENCROACHMENT, SAYING THE TEMPORARY AIRSPACE WAS NOTAMED. I RECEIVED A STANDARD BRIEFING FROM RALEIGH FSS 3 HRS PRIOR TO DEP AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INFO ON A RESTR AREA NEAR LEXINGTON.

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.