What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description:
The flight departed new kent county airport, located in quinton, Virginia (W96) enroute to richland, WI with a planned fuel stop in winamac, IN (krwn).
The distance between W96 and krwn is 491 NM. At a planned speed of 120 knots the trip was planned for four hours, IN VMC conditions, with one hour of fuel reserve.
The pilot reports that due to a overcast ceiling he elected to climb to a higher altitude to remain in VMC conditions. This resulted in a higher than planned headwind, which the pilot did not consider for this maximum fuel duration trip.
After five hours of flight and approximately 20 miles short of his destination, he ran out of fuel. The aircraft was landed on 100S, near 600W in fulton county, Indiana.
Five gallons of aviation fuel was purchased from Rochester Indiana airport and placed into the aircraft.
With the assistance of the local sheriff department a takeoff was attempted off of 100S and was aborted at approximately 40 knots when the wing contacted a small fence pole located along the side of the road.
The aircraft was inspected by the pilot, determined to be airworthy and a successful takeoff was completed with the rest of the flight uneventful.
Casual/contributing factor:
The failure of the pilot to properly monitor his fuel consumption while experiencing a lower than expected ground speed.
Recommendation to reduce risk:
To use a aeronautical decision making process to monitor ground speed and fuel consumption during a cross-country flight.
Action taken to correct problem and prevent a reoccurrence:
A reexamination of the airman's commercial pilot privileges under 14 CFR 44709 with emphasis on aircraft performance and limitations will be conducted by the federal aviation administration.
Ptrs:
GL11201802595
Comments:
A reexamination ride will be done.
Root cause: RC4
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION:
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED NEW KENT COUNTY AIRPORT, LOCATED IN QUINTON, VIRGINIA (W96) ENROUTE TO RICHLAND, WI WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP IN WINAMAC, IN (KRWN).
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN W96 AND KRWN IS 491 NM. AT A PLANNED SPEED OF 120 KNOTS THE TRIP WAS PLANNED FOR FOUR HOURS, IN VMC CONDITIONS, WITH ONE HOUR OF FUEL RESERVE.
THE PILOT REPORTS THAT DUE TO A OVERCAST CEILING HE ELECTED TO CLIMB TO A HIGHER ALTITUDE TO REMAIN IN VMC CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN A HIGHER THAN PLANNED HEADWIND, WHICH THE PILOT DID NOT CONSIDER FOR THIS MAXIMUM FUEL DURATION TRIP.
AFTER FIVE HOURS OF FLIGHT AND APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION, HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED ON 100S, NEAR 600W IN FULTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
FIVE GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL WAS PURCHASED FROM ROCHESTER INDIANA AIRPORT AND PLACED INTO THE AIRCRAFT.
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LOCAL SHERIFF DEPARTMENT A TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED OFF OF 100S AND WAS ABORTED AT APPROXIMATELY 40 KNOTS WHEN THE WING CONTACTED A SMALL FENCE POLE LOCATED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED BY THE PILOT, DETERMINED TO BE AIRWORTHY AND A SUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF WAS COMPLETED WITH THE REST OF THE FLIGHT UNEVENTFUL.
CASUAL/CONTRIBUTING FACTOR:
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY MONITOR HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION WHILE EXPERIENCING A LOWER THAN EXPECTED GROUND SPEED.
RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE RISK:
TO USE A AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS TO MONITOR GROUND SPEED AND FUEL CONSUMPTION DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT.
ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND PREVENT A REOCCURRENCE:
A REEXAMINATION OF THE AIRMAN'S COMMERCIAL PILOT PRIVILEGES UNDER 14 CFR 44709 WITH EMPHASIS ON AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND LIMITATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
PTRS:
GL11201802595
COMMENTS:
A REEXAMINATION RIDE WILL BE DONE.
ROOT CAUSE: RC4
Other reports on N4980S · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.