What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: this incident was brought to the attention of sjc FSDO by San Carlos Airport security. The airport report states that CE-172, N227M was observed landing downwind on runway 12 "faster and rougher" than normal. The pilot stated he landed downwind because he believed he was very low on fuel. Mr. Johnson told the FAA that during his night flight from santa rosa, calif., to San Carlos the gas went down faster than expected and he was getting concerned. He stated he observed the gauges indicating "0" on the left side, and "1/4" tank on the right side with the aircraft in a slip. He said he believed the aircraft had enough fuel to complete a landing at San Carlos. He further stated he maintained constant radio contact with bay approach, sfo twr and monitored sql traffic advisory frequency prior to landing at San Carlos. He was aware of the wind, but elected to land downwind because of the perceived low fuel situation. He did not advise anyone of the low fuel condition. Mr. Johnson said after refueling the aircraft he determined that the aircraft had adequate night VFR fuel reserves upon landing. Mr. Johnson was counseled by this office with regard to adequate preflight procedures for determining fuel levels prior to departure. He stated he is keeping fuel logs in the aircraft to ensure that fuel burn is accurate and in concurrence with performance data provided in the aircraft flight manual. No 8020-11 generated. This completes the investigation and this report is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: THIS INCIDENT WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF SJC FSDO BY SAN CARLOS AIRPORT SECURITY. THE AIRPORT REPORT STATES THAT CE-172, N227M WAS OBSERVED LANDING DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 12 "FASTER AND ROUGHER" THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT STATED HE LANDED DOWNWIND BECAUSE HE BELIEVED HE WAS VERY LOW ON FUEL. MR. JOHNSON TOLD THE FAA THAT DURING HIS NIGHT FLIGHT FROM SANTA ROSA, CALIF., TO SAN CARLOS THE GAS WENT DOWN FASTER THAN EXPECTED AND HE WAS GETTING CONCERNED. HE STATED HE OBSERVED THE GAUGES INDICATING "0" ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND "1/4" TANK ON THE RIGHT SIDE WITH THE AIRCRAFT IN A SLIP. HE SAID HE BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO COMPLETE A LANDING AT SAN CARLOS. HE FURTHER STATED HE MAINTAINED CONSTANT RADIO CONTACT WITH BAY APPROACH, SFO TWR AND MONITORED SQL TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY PRIOR TO LANDING AT SAN CARLOS. HE WAS AWARE OF THE WIND, BUT ELECTED TO LAND DOWNWIND BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED LOW FUEL SITUATION. HE DID NOT ADVISE ANYONE OF THE LOW FUEL CONDITION. MR. JOHNSON SAID AFTER REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE NIGHT VFR FUEL RESERVES UPON LANDING. MR. JOHNSON WAS COUNSELED BY THIS OFFICE WITH REGARD TO ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING FUEL LEVELS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HE STATED HE IS KEEPING FUEL LOGS IN THE AIRCRAFT TO ENSURE THAT FUEL BURN IS ACCURATE AND IN CONCURRENCE WITH PERFORMANCE DATA PROVIDED IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL. NO 8020-11 GENERATED. THIS COMPLETES THE INVESTIGATION AND THIS REPORT IS CLOSED.