PLT OF A BEECH BONANZA BE35 ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE AND LANDED AT THE PRIMARY ARPT WITHOUT ATC CLRNC DUE TO HIS LOW FUEL STATE AND FREQ CONGESTION. RPTR HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A NEARBY SATELLITE ARPT WHERE NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME PERIOD.
Synopsis
PLT OF A BEECH BONANZA BE35 ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE AND LANDED AT THE PRIMARY ARPT WITHOUT ATC CLRNC DUE TO HIS LOW FUEL STATE AND FREQ CONGESTION. RPTR HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A NEARBY SATELLITE ARPT WHERE NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME PERIOD.
Narrative
PRIOR TO THE DEP ON NOV/XA/97 I CALLED TO DETERMINE AVAILABILITY OF FUEL AT PREVIOUSLY USED WAYPOINTS. THE PERSON ANSWERING AT WEST MEMPHIS ARPT SAID THAT FUEL WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE WIND VELOCITY FROM HIGH CREST TO WEST MEMPHIS AVERAGED 40 MPH ON THE NOSE. AS A RESULT; I WAS LOW ON FUEL WHEN I ARRIVED AT WEST MEMPHIS. CONTRARY TO THE INFO GIVEN BY PHONE; THE FUEL OFFICE AT WEST MEMPHIS WAS CLOSED WITH A NOTICE ON THE DOOR TO CALL A NUMBER FOR DELAYED SVC. I USED THE PAY PHONE BY THE DOORWAY AND WAS REPEATEDLY TOLD BY THE RECORDING THAT THE CALL WAS XFERRED TO ANOTHER OPERATOR FOR SVC. THEN THE PHONE WENT DEAD AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ANYONE FOR FUEL SVC. A LCL PERSON GENEROUSLY LET ME CALL MEM ON HIS PORTABLE PHONE. THE INDIVIDUAL I SPOKE WITH ASSURED ME THAT I COULD GET FUEL. THOUGH I WAS LOW ON FUEL DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEADWINDS; I CONSIDERED IT FEASIBLE AND SAFE TO FLY VFR THE 17 MI TO MEM. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MEM WHEN 10 MI OUT; BUT GOT NO RESPONSE; PERHAPS BECAUSE OF RADIO TROUBLE. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO LAND ON RWY 18L BECAUSE I OBSERVED 2 AIRLINERS APCHING AND LNDG ON THAT RWY. I ALTERED MY COURSE SLIGHTLY TO THE N TO AVOID BOTH INTERFERENCE AND TURB. NO OTHER TFC WAS SEEN. I CHANGED FREQS HOPING TO ESTABLISH COMS WITH MEM AND HEARD; FAINTLY; A XMISSION DESCRIBING THE CLOSED TXWYS AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY ON THE ARPT ADVISING CAUTION. UPON LNDG; WELL AFTER THE SECOND AIRLINER; I CLRED THE RWY AND PROCEEDED TOWARD THE REFUELING AREA. I WAS STOPPED BY AN AIRFIELD OPS VEHICLE AND INSTRUCTED TO PARK MY ACFT. I WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE FAA OFFICE WHERE I WAS ASKED ABOUT MY ACTIONS WHEN ENTERING THE MEM CTLED AREA. I EXPLAINED MY ATTEMPTS FOR RADIO CONTACT AND THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TWR WAS AWARE OF MY INTENTIONS BECAUSE OF THE TXWY CAUTION. AT NO TIME DID I PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD TO ANY OTHER ACFT. I DID NOT MENTION THAT I WAS VERY SHORT ON FUEL AND WOULD CONSIDER DECLARING AN EMER IF I HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DELAY LNDG OR PROCEED TO ANOTHER ARPT. MY BONANZA CARRIES 43.5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. WHEN I WAS REFUELED; IT REQUIRED 39 GALLONS TO TOP OFF THE TANKS. I AM AN EXPERIENCED PLT AND WOULD NOT INTENTIONALLY PLAN A TRIP TO TURN OUT AS IT DID. WINDS WERE FORECAST FOR 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH WHEN ACTUALLY THEY WERE MUCH HIGHER. I WAS INFORMED BY TELEPHONE THE DAY BEFORE THAT REFUELING WOULD BE AVAILABLE AT WEST MEMPHIS WHEN IT WAS NOT. THE EXTREME TURB DURING THE FLT MAY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR POOR OR LACK OF COMS. THE REMAINING FLT TO FLORIDA WAS NORMAL. I HAD MY XPONDER ON STANDBY IN ANTICIPATION OF A CODE ASSIGNMENT WHEN ENTERING A CTLED AREA. THE XPONDER WORKED DURING DEP FROM MEM AND ALSO APCHING THE EGLIN AFB. I WILL CERTAINLY CONSIDER THESE FACTORS WHEN PLANNING MY NEXT TRIP.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.