Every summer for several years, I have been flying my Varga from my home base about 25 miles south of San Francisco—San Carlos, California—to Ashland, Oregon, to take in a play at the Shakespeare Festival and then proceed to Idaho for some camping.
Down to Empty Fuel Tanks
Key Takeaways:
- The pilot regularly flew his Varga aircraft from San Francisco to Ashland, Oregon, for a Shakespeare festival, then continued to Idaho for a week of remote wilderness camping.
- On the return journey, the pilot decided to bypass his planned refueling stop, overestimating his remaining fuel and relying on the perceived abundance of alternative airports.
- This misjudgment led to the engine quitting on final approach to his home airport, resulting in a crash landing that extensively damaged the aircraft, highlighting the critical importance of conservative fuel planning.
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