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 embarked on an annual summer trip, flying his Varga aircraft from San Carlos, California, to Ashland, Oregon, for the Shakespeare Festival, and then to Idaho for a week of remote camping.
- On the return flight, he made the critical decision to bypass his usual refueling stop, confident in finding another airport, but underestimated his remaining fuel despite knowing the gauge's inaccuracy at low levels.
- His engine ultimately quit at 400 feet on final approach to his home airport, resulting in a crash landing short of the runway that extensively damaged the aircraft, though the pilot was uninjured.
- The author concludes that simply making a planned fuel stop would have prevented the entire accident, highlighting the critical importance of proper fuel management.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
