Narrative:

Depart for estimated 3 1/2 hour trip to kinston, nc. This was first long trip in small aircraft and first actual IFR. Expected airspeed was 135 KTS per comments of FBO. Wind were supposed to be quartering tailwind to va (from ny) and headwind thereafter. Actual winds must have been much higher than forecast and head on. Gndspd reported by ATC at one point as 80 KTS! Three hours into trip. I had not yet reached the patuxent VOR. Although I had 4 1/2 hours of fuel per the book, the gauges were reading 1 hour, and I expected that airplane performance was not optimal since I was moving so slowly. Requested approach to nearest airport: leonardville, st mary's. Informed that 2 light aircraft had made 3 missed apches (VOR). One declared an emergency and was brought to patuxent NAS. Nearest ILS was at richmond, va, 65 NM away. Although I had 1-1 1/2 hours of fuel, I feared that 65 NM might take close to 1 hour, and if conditions were worse than reported (800, 1 mi), that might be uncomfortable. Declared emergency, given PAR approach to patuxent, filed many forms. Advice to others: 1) know the airplane. Of my 20 hours in the airplane, 15 were with instructors, getting qualified. I was unable to take a scheduled long trip to measure actual efficiency and fine the real airspeed. For planning, I should have estimated 120 rather than 135 KTS, I would have learned of the slight misreading of the right fuel gauge. 2) not to decide is to decide. An hour earlier, I realized that I wasn't going to get to nc in one step. I passed wilmington, de, believing that richmond would be a good destination with st mary a possibility, but due to workload (this was first time in real IFR) was not as aggressive about calculations as I usually am. I decided to proceed and see if gndspd picked up. By the time I decided to set down, my options were severely reduced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA COULD NOT REACH DESTINATION ARPT DUE ENROUTE WINDS ALOFT AND FUEL REMAINING, SO DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT PXT.

Narrative: DEPART FOR ESTIMATED 3 1/2 HR TRIP TO KINSTON, NC. THIS WAS FIRST LONG TRIP IN SMA AND FIRST ACTUAL IFR. EXPECTED AIRSPD WAS 135 KTS PER COMMENTS OF FBO. WIND WERE SUPPOSED TO BE QUARTERING TAILWIND TO VA (FROM NY) AND HEADWIND THEREAFTER. ACTUAL WINDS MUST HAVE BEEN MUCH HIGHER THAN FORECAST AND HEAD ON. GNDSPD RPTED BY ATC AT ONE POINT AS 80 KTS! THREE HRS INTO TRIP. I HAD NOT YET REACHED THE PATUXENT VOR. ALTHOUGH I HAD 4 1/2 HRS OF FUEL PER THE BOOK, THE GAUGES WERE READING 1 HR, AND I EXPECTED THAT AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE WAS NOT OPTIMAL SINCE I WAS MOVING SO SLOWLY. REQUESTED APCH TO NEAREST ARPT: LEONARDVILLE, ST MARY'S. INFORMED THAT 2 LIGHT ACFT HAD MADE 3 MISSED APCHES (VOR). ONE DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS BROUGHT TO PATUXENT NAS. NEAREST ILS WAS AT RICHMOND, VA, 65 NM AWAY. ALTHOUGH I HAD 1-1 1/2 HRS OF FUEL, I FEARED THAT 65 NM MIGHT TAKE CLOSE TO 1 HR, AND IF CONDITIONS WERE WORSE THAN RPTED (800, 1 MI), THAT MIGHT BE UNCOMFORTABLE. DECLARED EMER, GIVEN PAR APCH TO PATUXENT, FILED MANY FORMS. ADVICE TO OTHERS: 1) KNOW THE AIRPLANE. OF MY 20 HRS IN THE AIRPLANE, 15 WERE WITH INSTRUCTORS, GETTING QUALIFIED. I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE A SCHEDULED LONG TRIP TO MEASURE ACTUAL EFFICIENCY AND FINE THE REAL AIRSPD. FOR PLANNING, I SHOULD HAVE ESTIMATED 120 RATHER THAN 135 KTS, I WOULD HAVE LEARNED OF THE SLIGHT MISREADING OF THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE. 2) NOT TO DECIDE IS TO DECIDE. AN HOUR EARLIER, I REALIZED THAT I WASN'T GOING TO GET TO NC IN ONE STEP. I PASSED WILMINGTON, DE, BELIEVING THAT RICHMOND WOULD BE A GOOD DEST WITH ST MARY A POSSIBILITY, BUT DUE TO WORKLOAD (THIS WAS FIRST TIME IN REAL IFR) WAS NOT AS AGGRESSIVE ABOUT CALCULATIONS AS I USUALLY AM. I DECIDED TO PROCEED AND SEE IF GNDSPD PICKED UP. BY THE TIME I DECIDED TO SET DOWN, MY OPTIONS WERE SEVERELY REDUCED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.