Emergency landing by a skydiving C182 pilot when he experiences an engine failure on short final due...

Attributes
ACN	545812
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke.tracon
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1455 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	545812
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Manually dipped tanks before taking off with a full load of skydivers. Calibrated dipstick showed 10 gallons a side. Aircraft burns 20 gph, and a jump run takes .5. Knowing this, I decided to fuel after the run. Took off and proceeded to use 10 degrees of flaps to increase climb rate, but did not think about the effect on my fuel burn. After the run, around 4000 ft, I lost the engine, but noticed most of my fuel was in the right tank. I switched tanks (from 'both' to 'right'), the engine came back and I turned towards the airport (I was 3 mi east at this point). I figured I was alright and that most of the fuel had shifted to the right tank in the circle to altitude. Short final for the runway, I lost power again, could not regain it and proceeded to land the airplane. We dipped the tanks after pushing the airplane to the ramp and found 7 gallons on board. Contributing factors: my decision to use flaps for the climb. My low experience in this particular type. Fuel system's inability to feed usable fuel to the engine (still had 7 gallons on board).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER LNDG BY A SKYDIVING C182 PLT WHEN HE EXPERIENCES AN ENG FAILURE ON SHORT FINAL DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AT 07F, TX.

Narrative: MANUALLY DIPPED TANKS BEFORE TAKING OFF WITH A FULL LOAD OF SKYDIVERS. CALIBRATED DIPSTICK SHOWED 10 GALLONS A SIDE. ACFT BURNS 20 GPH, AND A JUMP RUN TAKES .5. KNOWING THIS, I DECIDED TO FUEL AFTER THE RUN. TOOK OFF AND PROCEEDED TO USE 10 DEGS OF FLAPS TO INCREASE CLB RATE, BUT DID NOT THINK ABOUT THE EFFECT ON MY FUEL BURN. AFTER THE RUN, AROUND 4000 FT, I LOST THE ENG, BUT NOTICED MOST OF MY FUEL WAS IN THE R TANK. I SWITCHED TANKS (FROM 'BOTH' TO 'R'), THE ENG CAME BACK AND I TURNED TOWARDS THE ARPT (I WAS 3 MI E AT THIS POINT). I FIGURED I WAS ALRIGHT AND THAT MOST OF THE FUEL HAD SHIFTED TO THE R TANK IN THE CIRCLE TO ALT. SHORT FINAL FOR THE RWY, I LOST PWR AGAIN, COULD NOT REGAIN IT AND PROCEEDED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE. WE DIPPED THE TANKS AFTER PUSHING THE AIRPLANE TO THE RAMP AND FOUND 7 GALLONS ON BOARD. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MY DECISION TO USE FLAPS FOR THE CLB. MY LOW EXPERIENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR TYPE. FUEL SYS'S INABILITY TO FEED USABLE FUEL TO THE ENG (STILL HAD 7 GALLONS ON BOARD).

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.

Emergency landing by a skydiving C182 pilot when he experiences an engine failure on short final due to fuel starvation at 07F, tx.