BE35 flight crew encounters strong headwinds en route and lands with less fuel than planned.

Attributes
ACN	579979
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gso.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 760 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	579979
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was giving flight instruction to a gentleman who also had a number of business flts to complete that day. We originally departed wilmington, de, and had accomack county airport as our first stop for the day. After arriving at accomack, we were on the ground for about 2 hours before setting course for greensboro. The WX that day was clear and visibility was more than 10 mi. However, the winds were very strong and variable up through 10000 ft. We elected to file 8000 ft as our cruising altitude and the flight plan had 4 hours of fuel listed. This was the first mistake. In reality, the plane only had about 2 1/2 hours of fuel. Despite this, we still calculated our flight to only take 1 hour 15 mins. We departed accomack and climbed to 8000 ft. After being in cruise for about 30 mins, we discovered that we had found ourselves in severe windshear at 8000 ft. Our airspeed was changing rapidly. It would read anywhere from 170 KTS to 85 KTS within a matter of 1 min. At one point we had to request lower from ATC due to the fact that we could no longer maintain altitude. With this constant shifting of winds and shear, we found ourselves behind on our calculated time en route and fuel burn. Upon getting to within 55 NM of gso, my student took it upon himself to declare minimum fuel. While I would have preferred a discussion on the matter before we had ATC giving us special attention, the call was well deserved. Our airspeed continued to fluctuate and played havoc with our planning. Despite the fact that we had a number of airports to land at along the way, our final calculation put us on the ground at gso with a 30 min reserve. Since the WX was VMC, we decided to continue. We actually ended up landing at gso with around a 35 min reserve. This problem was caused by inaccurate planning and a lack of awareness. We could have fueled at accomack and had a pleasant flight with the exception of the moderate to occasional severe turbulence, but we elected to not plan for the unexpected. For prevention: refuel every chance you get, and plan for the unexpected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS STRONG HEADWINDS ENRTE AND LANDS WITH LESS FUEL THAN PLANNED.

Narrative: I WAS GIVING FLT INSTRUCTION TO A GENTLEMAN WHO ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF BUSINESS FLTS TO COMPLETE THAT DAY. WE ORIGINALLY DEPARTED WILMINGTON, DE, AND HAD ACCOMACK COUNTY ARPT AS OUR FIRST STOP FOR THE DAY. AFTER ARRIVING AT ACCOMACK, WE WERE ON THE GND FOR ABOUT 2 HRS BEFORE SETTING COURSE FOR GREENSBORO. THE WX THAT DAY WAS CLR AND VISIBILITY WAS MORE THAN 10 MI. HOWEVER, THE WINDS WERE VERY STRONG AND VARIABLE UP THROUGH 10000 FT. WE ELECTED TO FILE 8000 FT AS OUR CRUISING ALT AND THE FLT PLAN HAD 4 HRS OF FUEL LISTED. THIS WAS THE FIRST MISTAKE. IN REALITY, THE PLANE ONLY HAD ABOUT 2 1/2 HRS OF FUEL. DESPITE THIS, WE STILL CALCULATED OUR FLT TO ONLY TAKE 1 HR 15 MINS. WE DEPARTED ACCOMACK AND CLBED TO 8000 FT. AFTER BEING IN CRUISE FOR ABOUT 30 MINS, WE DISCOVERED THAT WE HAD FOUND OURSELVES IN SEVERE WINDSHEAR AT 8000 FT. OUR AIRSPD WAS CHANGING RAPIDLY. IT WOULD READ ANYWHERE FROM 170 KTS TO 85 KTS WITHIN A MATTER OF 1 MIN. AT ONE POINT WE HAD TO REQUEST LOWER FROM ATC DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN ALT. WITH THIS CONSTANT SHIFTING OF WINDS AND SHEAR, WE FOUND OURSELVES BEHIND ON OUR CALCULATED TIME ENRTE AND FUEL BURN. UPON GETTING TO WITHIN 55 NM OF GSO, MY STUDENT TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL. WHILE I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER BEFORE WE HAD ATC GIVING US SPECIAL ATTN, THE CALL WAS WELL DESERVED. OUR AIRSPD CONTINUED TO FLUCTUATE AND PLAYED HAVOC WITH OUR PLANNING. DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF ARPTS TO LAND AT ALONG THE WAY, OUR FINAL CALCULATION PUT US ON THE GND AT GSO WITH A 30 MIN RESERVE. SINCE THE WX WAS VMC, WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE. WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP LNDG AT GSO WITH AROUND A 35 MIN RESERVE. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY INACCURATE PLANNING AND A LACK OF AWARENESS. WE COULD HAVE FUELED AT ACCOMACK AND HAD A PLEASANT FLT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURB, BUT WE ELECTED TO NOT PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED. FOR PREVENTION: REFUEL EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, AND PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED.

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.