GA small aircraft precautionary off airport landing due high fuel consumption.

Attributes
ACN	97519
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : c25
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 590 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	97519
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During preflight inspection and planning it was determined that there was sufficient fuel for a cross country flight with a 45 min reserve. En route it was discovered that due to an abnormally high fuel consumption rate that the destination could not be reached and an alternate airport was chosen that would suit our purposes (refueling after normal working hours). As course was flown to the alternate airport, it was determined that because of the abnormally high fuel consumption that the alternate airport could not be reached safely and a closer airport was chosen to land safely. Because of the nature of the airport and lighting conditions a positive identify of the airport could not be achieved. Due to the risk of a fuel starvation and loss of power a landing site was chosen (an untravelled well distinguished road) and utilized to execute a precautionary landing. The aircraft was not damaged and the passenger were not injured. It was discovered later that a vapor was seen coming from the wings by a passenger but was not reported to the pilots. Possible fuel cap seals not working properly could have caused the high rate of fuel loss.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG DUE HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT INSPECTION AND PLANNING IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR A XCOUNTRY FLT WITH A 45 MIN RESERVE. ENRTE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT DUE TO AN ABNORMALLY HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE THAT THE DEST COULD NOT BE REACHED AND AN ALTERNATE ARPT WAS CHOSEN THAT WOULD SUIT OUR PURPOSES (REFUELING AFTER NORMAL WORKING HRS). AS COURSE WAS FLOWN TO THE ALTERNATE ARPT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE OF THE ABNORMALLY HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION THAT THE ALTERNATE ARPT COULD NOT BE REACHED SAFELY AND A CLOSER ARPT WAS CHOSEN TO LAND SAFELY. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ARPT AND LIGHTING CONDITIONS A POSITIVE IDENT OF THE ARPT COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED. DUE TO THE RISK OF A FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF PWR A LNDG SITE WAS CHOSEN (AN UNTRAVELLED WELL DISTINGUISHED ROAD) AND UTILIZED TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED AND THE PAX WERE NOT INJURED. IT WAS DISCOVERED LATER THAT A VAPOR WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE WINGS BY A PAX BUT WAS NOT RPTED TO THE PLTS. POSSIBLE FUEL CAP SEALS NOT WORKING PROPERLY COULD HAVE CAUSED THE HIGH RATE OF FUEL LOSS.

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.