What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC planned a VFR cross-country flight with full fuel (50 gallons useable). Performance data taken from the flying club web site. Based on those numbers, he calculated 5.7 hours duration for a four-hour flight. However, a review of club records, and interviews with the club maintenance officer and the PIC, indicate that the fuel tanks were not completely full at departure. Also, the TAS shown on the club's performance data was higher than derived from the afm/poh, and the PIC experienced a higher-than-expected headwind component. Approximately 4.5 hours into the flight, about 10 NM north of sgf, the PIC experienced a loss of engine power while descending to traffic pattern altitude. He immediately announced to sgf ATCT that he "was out of fuel." Sgf ATCT personnel assisted by pointing out state highway 13 and the PIC managed to successfully execute an emergency off-airport landing on the south-bound side of the highway without involving other vehicles. There was no damage to the airplane, and no one on board was injured.
As the FAA filed it
PIC PLANNED A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH FULL FUEL (50 GALLONS USEABLE). PERFORMANCE DATA TAKEN FROM THE FLYING CLUB WEB SITE. BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS, HE CALCULATED 5.7 HOURS DURATION FOR A FOUR-HOUR FLIGHT. HOWEVER, A REVIEW OF CLUB RECORDS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH THE CLUB MAINTENANCE OFFICER AND THE PIC, INDICATE THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT COMPLETELY FULL AT DEPARTURE. ALSO, THE TAS SHOWN ON THE CLUB'S PERFORMANCE DATA WAS HIGHER THAN DERIVED FROM THE AFM/POH, AND THE PIC EXPERIENCED A HIGHER-THAN-EXPECTED HEADWIND COMPONENT. APPROXIMATELY 4.5 HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT, ABOUT 10 NM NORTH OF SGF, THE PIC EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE DESCENDING TO TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE. HE IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED TO SGF ATCT THAT HE "WAS OUT OF FUEL." SGF ATCT PERSONNEL ASSISTED BY POINTING OUT STATE HIGHWAY 13 AND THE PIC MANAGED TO SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY OFF-AIRPORT LANDING ON THE SOUTH-BOUND SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT INVOLVING OTHER VEHICLES. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE, AND NO ONE ON BOARD WAS INJURED.
Other reports on N737PV · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.