EXTENDED OVERWATER OP FLOWN IN SMA WHILE UNSURE OF FUEL LOAD AND WINDS ALOFT. EMER DECLARED.

Narrative

TOOK OFF FROM MERIDA; MEXICO AFTER HAVING RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING (OF SORTS) FROM THE MEXICAN ATC THAT INDICATED THAT WINDS OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO WERE 340 AT 20. I ELECTED TO USE RATHER ECONOMICAL PWR SETTINGS ON MY PLANE THAT SHOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENDURANCE TIME OF ABOUT 8.9 HRS AND AN INDICATED AIRSPD OF ABOUT 138 MPH. INITIALLY; WE MADE ABOUT 90 KTS 'GND SPD' UNTIL WE GOT ABOUT 60 NM N OF KEHLI INTXN AT WHICH TIME THE WINDS PICKED UP CONSIDERABLY AND DROPPED OUR GND SPD TO ABOUT 60-65 KTS. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT (VIA RELAY) IT SEEMED THAT WINDS WERE MORE FAVORABLE AT 3000 FT THAN AT 8000 FT; SO WE DSNDED; WHICH PROVED TO BE A MISTAKE BECAUSE THE TURB WAS MUCH WORSE AT THAT LEVEL. ANYWAY; I REDUCED THE PWR SETTINGS TO NEAR MAX RANGE SETTINGS. I INFORMED ZHU OF A FUEL EMER (PROBABLY REALLY AN 'URGENCY') AND GOT A CLRNC TO LAND AT L49 INSTEAD OF MSY. ATC SENT A COAST GUARD HELI ESCORT. WE PROBABLY HAD 10-20 MINS OF FUEL LEFT WHEN WE LANDED. TOTAL FLT TIME ABOUT 6 HRS 15 MINS. ANYWAY; I HOPE THAT OUR EMER DECLARATION SUFFICED AS NOTICE FOR PENETRATING THE ADIZ AND FOR THE 1 HR NOTICE TO CUSTOMS AS MY TOTAL ATTN WAS TAKEN UP WITH FLYING THE PLANE AND GIVING CONSTANT POS RPTS TO ATC. CUSTOMS DID SHOW UP AT THE STRIP (AFTER WE SPENT ABOUT 3 HRS WAITING FOR THEM; MOST OF THE TIME LOCKED UP IN THE BACK OF 2 POLICE CARS) AND THOROUGHLY SEARCHED THE PLANE WITH USE OF NARCOTICS-SNIFFING DOGS; ETC. IN CONCLUSION; I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I COULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID THE INCIDENT. DOUBLECHKED THE INITIAL FUELING TO BE SURE THE PLANE WAS COMPLETELY TOPPED OFF. USED THE 130 OCTANE FUEL AVAILABLE AT THE MERIDA ARPT. CALLED THE AMERICAN WX SVC. (MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE TOLD ME I WAS FLYING THROUGH THE 'STORM OF THE CENTURY.') OPTED FOR AN ALTERNATE RTE. STAYED AT 8000 FT. DEVELOP MY OWN RANGE AND SETTINGS CHART AND NOT DEPEND UPON THE ONE SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. SINCE GETTING BACK HOME I HAVE FOUND MY R FUEL CAP HAS AN ILL-FITTING GASKET; WHICH IS BEING REPLACED. I AM ALSO GETTING THE PLANE CHKED FOR POSSIBLE OTHER FUEL LEAKS.