Page 14 - Volume 18 Number 1

Twin Proficiency:
Left
Low Fuel
Left
by Thomas P. Turner
FTrom the NTSB:
wo aboard a Beech C90 died when the King Air impacted terrain four miles from the Springdale, Arkansas airport. The airplane was destroyed.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Part 91 flight. The flight originated from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, about 42 minutes earlier.
The pilot contacted Air Traffic Control for flight following services to Bentonville, Arkansas. Later, the pilot said he wanted to change his destination to Fayetteville. When the controller asked the reason for the destination change and if he required any assistance, the pilot stated he was low on fuel. He requested the distance to FYV, and the controller told him it was nine miles away. The pilot said he needed something closer.
The controller advised that Springdale Airport (KASG) was at 12 o’clock and four miles. The pilot said he had Springdale in sight and was familiar with the airport. The controller issued the pilot a frequency change to ASG tower. The pilot contacted ASG tower and reported he was low on fuel. The controller cleared the pilot to land on runway 36. Approximately 30 seconds later, the pilot advised he was not going to make it to the airport. No further transmissions were received.
A witness saw the airplane descend, pull up abruptly, and impact the ground in a right wing-low, nose-low
12 • TWIN & TURBINE
attitude. There were power lines about 300 feet short of the impact point. The on-scene examination revealed no ground scars, only impact ground gouges. Propeller signatures indicate the propellers were not feathered.
FAA regulations provide simple fuel-planning rules. In day-VFR conditions, Part 91 airplanes must have sufficient fuel for the flight plus at least 30 minutes of fuel remaining upon landing, assuming the cruise fuel burn used en route on that flight. If the flight is at night, or any time in IMC, the minimum fuel required on landing is 45 minutes. If an IFR alternate is required, the takeoff fuel load must include enough to fly and miss the approach at the intended destination, then fly to the alternate, fly its approach, and land with 45 minutes’ cruise fuel still in the tanks.
A So, why do we keep running out of gas?
ccording to the regulations, reserve fuel is only for planning purposes. If you take off with the proper amount or more in the tanks, but a stronger
headwind, low-altitude vectors or deviation around weather puts you on the ground with less than the required minimum reserve fuel, you can’t be busted even for landing out of an IFR or night trip with only 20 minutes of fuel remaining, or from a day VFR trek with less than 10 minutes gas left. The reserve fuel requirement exists only for departure planning.
JANUARY 2014