Narrative:

The problem is inadequate fuel at an island airport with no services. The problem arose from miscom between 2 pilots who were in command for different segments of a trip. As I was not PIC for flight into avx, I did not fully plan the flight segment. I was to be PIC for return segment however, but I overlooked the fact that there were no services available at avx. Similarly, the other pilot on the segment to avx also overlooked this fact. By itself, we still felt confident that we could make it back to mainland for fuel. The second 'link' in this chain occurred when we chose an airport based on avoiding enhanced class B (no VFR allowed except for training) and not wanting to file an IFR flight plan into busy los angeles airspace. We flew VFR from avx towards cma but we became concerned about our fuel and diverted to toa. We landed with approximately 15 mins fuel remaining, half of the legal requirement, and far below my personal comfort level. I believe we were correct to confess our minimum fuel situation to ATC and thereby land successfully. As far as human performance considerations, it seems obvious now that I should have planned better. When multiple PIC's are involved, it is not sufficient to plan your flight leg on a vacuum. On the contrary, pilots should work together planning the entire trip, or at the least, examine each other's plans in case something were overlooked, as was the case in this instance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 PLTS SHARING FLT TIME TO AVX, AN ARPT WITHOUT SVCS, FAIL TO CONSIDER FUEL FOR RETURN TRIP.

Narrative: THE PROB IS INADEQUATE FUEL AT AN ISLAND ARPT WITH NO SVCS. THE PROB AROSE FROM MISCOM BTWN 2 PLTS WHO WERE IN COMMAND FOR DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF A TRIP. AS I WAS NOT PIC FOR FLT INTO AVX, I DID NOT FULLY PLAN THE FLT SEGMENT. I WAS TO BE PIC FOR RETURN SEGMENT HOWEVER, BUT I OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT THERE WERE NO SVCS AVAILABLE AT AVX. SIMILARLY, THE OTHER PLT ON THE SEGMENT TO AVX ALSO OVERLOOKED THIS FACT. BY ITSELF, WE STILL FELT CONFIDENT THAT WE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO MAINLAND FOR FUEL. THE SECOND 'LINK' IN THIS CHAIN OCCURRED WHEN WE CHOSE AN ARPT BASED ON AVOIDING ENHANCED CLASS B (NO VFR ALLOWED EXCEPT FOR TRAINING) AND NOT WANTING TO FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN INTO BUSY LOS ANGELES AIRSPACE. WE FLEW VFR FROM AVX TOWARDS CMA BUT WE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FUEL AND DIVERTED TO TOA. WE LANDED WITH APPROX 15 MINS FUEL REMAINING, HALF OF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT, AND FAR BELOW MY PERSONAL COMFORT LEVEL. I BELIEVE WE WERE CORRECT TO CONFESS OUR MINIMUM FUEL SIT TO ATC AND THEREBY LAND SUCCESSFULLY. AS FAR AS HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS NOW THAT I SHOULD HAVE PLANNED BETTER. WHEN MULTIPLE PIC'S ARE INVOLVED, IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO PLAN YOUR FLT LEG ON A VACUUM. ON THE CONTRARY, PLTS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER PLANNING THE ENTIRE TRIP, OR AT THE LEAST, EXAMINE EACH OTHER'S PLANS IN CASE SOMETHING WERE OVERLOOKED, AS WAS THE CASE IN THIS INSTANCE.

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.