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:
- The pilot departed with 14 gallons of fuel for a flight expected to last 1 hour 40 minutes, which should have been sufficient based on a 5.3 GPH consumption rate.
- During the flight, the pilot observed fuel disappearing quickly but attributed it to a headwind.
- After 1 hour 40 minutes, the aircraft ran out of fuel 57 miles short of its destination, forcing a desert landing.
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