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20111219028309I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Grumman American Avn. AA-1B · Tucson, AZ · December 19, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 19, 2011 · 15:24 local
Place
Tucson, AZ
Airport
Ryan Field
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N6525L
Reported as
Grumman American Avn. AA-1B
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
246 total146 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days
N6525LRegistered now · Grumman American Avn. AA-1BS/N AA1B-0325 · Built 1973Airframe modelGrumman American Avn. AA-1BEngine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot took off at kryn at 2115Z with intention of executing practice landings at kryn. After 4 touch and goes, the pilot departed kryn for sells (E78). He then executed 2 practice landings at sells. He then departed sells for kryn. Approximately 8 miles from kryn, fuel exaustion occurred and the pilot contacted kryn tower (2222Z) stating that he was executing an off-airport landing. The pilot landed on a dirt road near three points, AZ.pilot departed ryn with inadequate fuel for the intended flight. He believed he departed with 11-12 gals of fuel on board. He also estimated that the aircraft burned approximately 8 gals/hr in cruise flight. The flight (according to ATC time stamps) took 1.2 hours from taxi to the final ATC call to kryn towerduring an interview on 12/27/2011 the pilot admitted that he was responsible for the fuel exaustion due to improper planning. Pilot stated that he did not know the exact amount of fuel due to the inaccuracy of the fuel gauges. He also stated that a mechanic inspected the fuel system and found no issues which would contribute to fuel starvation

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT KRYN AT 2115Z WITH INTENTION OF EXECUTING PRACTICE LANDINGS AT KRYN.AFTER 4 TOUCH AND GOES, THE PILOT DEPARTED KRYN FOR SELLS (E78). HE THEN EXECUTED 2 PRACTICE LANDINGS AT SELLS. HE THEN DEPARTED SELLS FOR KRYN. APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES FROM KRYN, FUEL EXAUSTION OCCURRED AND THE PILOT CONTACTED KRYN TOWER (2222Z) STATING THAT HE WAS EXECUTING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. THE PILOT LANDED ON A DIRT ROAD NEAR THREE POINTS, AZ.PILOT DEPARTED RYN WITH INADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT. HE BELIEVED HE DEPARTED WITH 11-12 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD. HE ALSO ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BURNED APPROXIMATELY 8 GALS/HR IN CRUISE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT (ACCORDING TO ATC TIME STAMPS) TOOK 1.2 HOURS FROM TAXI TO THE FINAL ATC CALL TO KRYN TOWERDURING AN INTERVIEW ON 12/27/2011 THE PILOT ADMITTED THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUEL EXAUSTION DUE TO IMPROPER PLANNING.PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FUEL DUE TO THE INACCURACY OF THE FUEL GAUGES.HE ALSO STATED THAT A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND FOUND NO ISSUES WHICH WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO FUEL STARVATION