FlightFollowerPilot Runs Out of Fuel in Dangerous IFR Conditions
A Yak With Too Little Fuel and Almost No Weather Margin
On September 3, 2020, a Russian-built Yak was being flown north toward Nebraska when the pilot discovered that the aircraft was consuming fuel faster than expected. The pilot was delivering the aircraft to its owner and was unfamiliar with its fuel-burn characteristics.
At about 20 nautical miles south of Dodge City, Kansas, the pilot told Kansas City Center that he needed to land for fuel. Dodge City's weather was poor, with visibility around one-quarter mile and an indefinite ceiling near 200 feet. The pilot asked about an airport with better weather, but the nearest suitable alternative was roughly 100 miles away.
The controller was told the aircraft had about 30 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot was instrument-rated, and controllers began working toward an approach at Dodge City while assessing the weather and the aircraft's remaining options.
Garden City had weather about 100 feet better, but the pilot said he could not reach it. The crew therefore concentrated on making the Dodge City approach work. Controllers provided vectors and information while the pilot requested a short approach, a request limited by the prevailing IFR conditions.
The aircraft became established on the localizer but had difficulty capturing the glideslope and maintaining altitude. Radar contact was lost about 1.4 miles from the airport and radio contact was subsequently lost.
The landing nevertheless succeeded. The controllers later learned that the pilot had reached the runway safely. The event was a demanding combination of fuel planning, unfamiliar aircraft performance and poor weather, with ATC assistance helping the pilot use the remaining margin effectively.
“Owens was working a 18T Russian-made aircraft that was headed north toward Nebraska from Texas.”
Accident Facts
- Date
- 3 September 2020
- Aircraft
- Russian-built Yak
- Event
- A Yak With Too Little Fuel and Almost No Weather Margin
- Outcome
- Safe landing after severe fuel/weather constraints
- Category
- Incident / Emergency
- Area
- Western Kansas
- Fuel remaining reported
- About 30 minutes
- Weather at Dodge City
- About 1/4-mile visibility and 200-foot ceiling
- Approach
- ILS runway 14 at Dodge City
Sources
- Video source (ATC/audio reconstruction)
- NATCA/Archie League safety-award material describing Kansas City Center controllers Ingrid Owens, Taylor Rosenbaum and Brett Rolofson.
- ATC recording associated with the event.
- Aviation safety reporting on the September 2020 incident.
- Video/ATC recording