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C152 pilot declares an emergency due to low fuel and lands at a facility not realizing that it is an AFB.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 608241 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200402 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 152 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing : roll |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 17.8 flight time total : 100.4 flight time type : 96.2 |
| ASRS Report | 608241 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical airspace violation : entry incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While flying VFR from prescott, az, to ZZZ (planned destination airport), I was PIC of a C152 that experienced a critical fuel emergency. At 3 hours 23 mins total time en route, I was cleared to land for the straight-in to runway 24 approximately 9 NM to the east. Shortly thereafter, the engine displayed 2 successive power surges. Both times dropping below 1000 RPM's. It was at this time that I consulted my copilot (also a private pilot) and we decided it would be best to get down as soon as possible. I turned towards ZZZ1, squawked 7700 while he declared an emergency with tower. I maneuvered towards the airport and was given clearance to land on runway 22 or runway 25. I set up for runway 22 and slipped into land without further incident. After we were greeted by the emergency response team, much to our surprise, we were informed we had landed at an AFB. I taxied off the runway and did not experience any other power losses, however, the tanks were very low. I feel important details to consider include the fact that I was part of a group of aircraft all flying the same route, one of which was also a C152 which departed roughly 15-20 mins earlier. Also, this was my first cross country of this magnitude and I relied too much on the input of the more experienced members of the group when it came to flight planning. This gave me a false sense of security -- 'I should be fine.' they didn't mention a fuel stop. They had done this trip before. Thoughts of this nature clouded my judgement. Additionally, at around 3 hours of total flight time, I began consulting my copilot and the pilot of the other C152 on ground speed, fuel burn, and ETA. We all agreed that we should be able to make it to our destination with the required 30 mins of reserve fuel for day VFR flight. Obviously, this was not the case. It was later determined that the C152 I was flying was burning more than the 6.1 gph listed in the poh. The aircraft was burning closer to 6.8 gph.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C152 PLT DECLARES AN EMER DUE TO LOW FUEL AND LANDS AT A FACILITY NOT REALIZING THAT IT IS AN AFB.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING VFR FROM PRESCOTT, AZ, TO ZZZ (PLANNED DEST ARPT), I WAS PIC OF A C152 THAT EXPERIENCED A CRITICAL FUEL EMER. AT 3 HRS 23 MINS TOTAL TIME ENRTE, I WAS CLRED TO LAND FOR THE STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 24 APPROX 9 NM TO THE E. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG DISPLAYED 2 SUCCESSIVE PWR SURGES. BOTH TIMES DROPPING BELOW 1000 RPM'S. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I CONSULTED MY COPLT (ALSO A PVT PLT) AND WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO GET DOWN ASAP. I TURNED TOWARDS ZZZ1, SQUAWKED 7700 WHILE HE DECLARED AN EMER WITH TWR. I MANEUVERED TOWARDS THE ARPT AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 22 OR RWY 25. I SET UP FOR RWY 22 AND SLIPPED INTO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER WE WERE GREETED BY THE EMER RESPONSE TEAM, MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE, WE WERE INFORMED WE HAD LANDED AT AN AFB. I TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OTHER PWR LOSSES, HOWEVER, THE TANKS WERE VERY LOW. I FEEL IMPORTANT DETAILS TO CONSIDER INCLUDE THE FACT THAT I WAS PART OF A GROUP OF ACFT ALL FLYING THE SAME RTE, ONE OF WHICH WAS ALSO A C152 WHICH DEPARTED ROUGHLY 15-20 MINS EARLIER. ALSO, THIS WAS MY FIRST XCOUNTRY OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND I RELIED TOO MUCH ON THE INPUT OF THE MORE EXPERIENCED MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WHEN IT CAME TO FLT PLANNING. THIS GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY -- 'I SHOULD BE FINE.' THEY DIDN'T MENTION A FUEL STOP. THEY HAD DONE THIS TRIP BEFORE. THOUGHTS OF THIS NATURE CLOUDED MY JUDGEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, AT AROUND 3 HRS OF TOTAL FLT TIME, I BEGAN CONSULTING MY COPLT AND THE PLT OF THE OTHER C152 ON GND SPD, FUEL BURN, AND ETA. WE ALL AGREED THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO OUR DEST WITH THE REQUIRED 30 MINS OF RESERVE FUEL FOR DAY VFR FLT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE C152 I WAS FLYING WAS BURNING MORE THAN THE 6.1 GPH LISTED IN THE POH. THE ACFT WAS BURNING CLOSER TO 6.8 GPH.
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.