The pilot subsequently reported he took off with 14 gallons of fuel aboard. The flight from Bull Frog Basin Airport, Utah, to Winslow, Ariz., should have taken 1 hour 40 minutes, with fuel consumption of 5.3 gallons per hour. The pilot noticed that fuel was disappearing quickly and assumed there was a headwind. After 1 hour 40 minutes (1.7 hours), the airplane ran out of fuel 57 statute miles north of Winslow, and landed in the desert.
June 7, 2008, Kykotsmovi, Ariz. Piper PA-38-112
The pilot subsequently reported he took off with 14 gallons of fuel aboard. The flight from Bull Frog Basin Airport, Utah, to Winslow, Ariz., should have taken 1 hour 40 minutes, with fuel consumption of 5.3 gallons per hour. The pilot noticed that fuel was disappearing quickly and assumed there was a headwind. After 1 hour 40 minutes (1.7 hours), the airplane ran out of fuel 57 statute miles north of Winslow, and landed in the desert.
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot departed with 14 gallons of fuel for a planned 1-hour 40-minute flight, expecting a consumption rate of 5.3 gallons per hour.
- Despite noticing rapid fuel depletion and attributing it to a headwind, the pilot continued the flight as planned.
- The aircraft ran out of fuel exactly at the expected flight duration, resulting in a desert landing 57 miles short of the destination.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
