PLT OF A MOONEY M20C MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG WHEN HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. PLT INDICATES HE SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION.
Synopsis
PLT OF A MOONEY M20C MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG WHEN HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. PLT INDICATES HE SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION.
Narrative
A VFR FLT BEGAN AT RYY TO EYE WITH A PLANNED INTERMEDIATE STOP AT PELL CITY; IN; BECAUSE ONLY 25 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE ON BOARD (L-HAND TANK DRY DUE TO NEED FOR FUEL SEALANT TO CURE). THE ACFT CONSISTENTLY BURNED 9.5 GALLONS PER HR; THEREFORE; FLT WAS TO BE NO MORE THAN 2 HRS WITH 30 MINS RESERVE. FLT FOLLOWING WAS USED UNTIL THE FIELD AT PELL CITY WAS IN SIGHT. VISUAL AND RADIO XMISSIONS INDICATED THERE WAS NO FUEL OR PERSONNEL AT PELL CITY AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE TO HUNTINGBURG; IN; 16 MI N; SINCE AN ELAPSED TIME OF 1:55 INDICATED :35 MINS FUEL REMAINING. APPROX 6 MI S OF HUNTINGBURG THE ENG QUIT. WHEN ENG QUIT EMER PROC WERE FOLLOWED. THE FARM LAND WAS VERY HILLY WITH SHORT CYCLE DIPS AND PEAKS. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND ON COUNTY ROAD SINCE TFC WAS SPARSE AND HUMAN SAFETY WAS THREATENED OTHERWISE. THE DECISION TO LEAVE LNDG GEAR UP WAS BASED ON INABILITY TO SEE OVER CREST OF HILL ONCE THE ACFT WAS AT LOW LEVEL; AND THE POSSIBILITY EXISTED THAT AUTO TFC MAY BE JUST OVER THE HILL CREST. NO SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION WAS DETERMINED AS TO WHY FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED AFTER ONLY 1:55 HRS. BUT; IT'S NOW OBVIOUS THE INTENTION TO LAND AT PELL CITY; IN; SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED; AND THE DECISION TO GO AN ADDITIONAL 16 MI WAS A MISTAKE (ALTHOUGH 35 MINS OF FUEL WAS THOUGHT TO BE ON BOARD). THE PERFORMANCE OF THE EMER PROCS WERE WELL EXECUTED; CONSIDERING ALL FACTORS INVOLVED. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ANYONE IN THE ACFT (2 PERSONS) OR ON THE GND; AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT DUE TO THIS INCIDENT. NOTE: IN ADDITION TO FLYING OVER PELL CITY; THE ACFT WAS FLOWN AN ADDITIONAL 4-5 MI W OVER HANCOCK(?) WHICH ALSO SHOWED NO SIGNS OF HAVING ANY ACTIVITY OR FUEL. AT THAT TIME A CALL WAS MADE AND A RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM HUNTINGBURG ARPT 16 MI N.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.