PLT OF EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE RUNS OUT OF GAS AND MAKES EMER LNDG OFF ARPT.
Synopsis
PLT OF EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE RUNS OUT OF GAS AND MAKES EMER LNDG OFF ARPT.
Narrative
I DEPARTED BQN ARPT APPROX AT XA00 LCL; ESTIMATING SIG AT XA45 LCL WITH FUEL ON BOARD ENOUGH FOR 1 HR AND 20 MINS. I WAS BEING ESCORTED BY ANOTHER AIRPLANE AND PLANS WERE MADE IN CASE OF RADIO PROBS. AROUND MIDWAY TO DEST; I SAW UNFORECASTED RAIN SHOWERS AND HELD W OF THEM FOR ABOUT 10 MINS IN VFR. THEN; AFTER THEY CLRED; I CONTINUED. SINCE I ENCOUNTERED 2-WAY COM PROBS WITH THE ESCORTING ACFT; WE PROCEEDED WITH THE PLANS MADE AND THEY PERFORMED ATC COMS FOR ME. I REACHED SIG AT XA55 LCL AND WAS CLRED STRAIGHT FOR LNDG ON RWY 9. IT WAS GUSTY AND DURING TOUCHDOWN I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND FOR SAFETY REASONS I INITIATED A GAR. I JOINED THE PATTERN AND CAME IN FOR LNDG AFTER RECEIVING THE PROPER LIGHT SIGNALS. ON FINAL; I ENCOUNTERED CONFLICTING SLOW TFC AHEAD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FOLLOW. I DECIDED TO GAR AGAIN AND PARALLELED THE FINAL COURSE TO THE S. I JOINED THE PATTERN ONCE AGAIN AND AFTER MAKING SURE MY PATH WAS CLR; I CAME FOR ANOTHER LNDG. WHEN I STARTED THE TURN TO BASE I LOST PWR; EVENTUALLY THE ENG STOPPED AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. DUE TO THE PREVAILING WIND CONDITIONS AND AFTER ANALYZING THE SIT I JUDGED THAT THE SAFEST DECISION WAS TO REACH THE SANDBAR (A SAND BANK 3/4 - 1 MI W OF THE ARPT). IT WAS DONE SAFELY WITH NO OTHER CONSEQUENCES. ACFT HAS ONLY A SLIGHT (MINIMUM) DAMAGE AND GOT WET DUE TO THE LNDG IN ABOUT 3 FT OF WATER. IT APPEARS THAT DUE TO THE UNFORECASTED SHOWERS THAT CAUSED A 10-MIN DELAY ENRTE AND GOING AROUND TWICE AFTER REACHING THE DEST; I INVOLUNTARILY MADE USE OF MY RESERVES.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.