DA20 Undifferentiated
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 3500; Flight Crew Type 1000
Situational Awareness; Workload; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors
I started my flight instructor day at my home airport. The first student was around sunrise. He was a helicopter instructor training for a fixed wing add-on to his commercial certificate. The flight was enjoyable and productive for the student. The second flight was scheduled to be with a student working on his private. He was to begin his Dual cross country phase in a Part 141 program of study. The student had not flown for over 3 weeks due to weather and scheduling. I was excited about flying with him again for that reason (getting him back in the air) and he has good skills and is well prepared and studied. I planned a day with stops at two other airports with a possible 3rd stop at an airport for a diversion. This was going to be one of two airports 10-15 nautical miles off course. The student did extremely well all day; hitting his times and numbers almost perfect after the 3rd check point. After stopping at the diversion airport we boarded the DA-20 for about 30 minutes of hood time with some practice in basic instrument skills as well as VOR triangulation and ATC radar services. This took some extra time and review but the student performed well. After the hood work he contacted ATC with an appropriate position report and requested 'flight following'. At cruise; the engine sputtered and I took control of the aircraft. I turned the aux fuel pump on immediately. I looked at the fuel gauge which read empty. I immediately communicated with TRACON. 'I have an Emergency my engine is out'. They said a County Airport is 12 o'clock 4 miles. I asked for the CTAF and field elevation; while managing the final exhaustion of fuel and pitching the aircraft to best glide speed. I arrive at the approach end at 1;000 FT AGL. Attempting a 360 turn I realized 180 degrees into the turn I could not put the aircraft on the runway. At that moment a woman on the CTAF (later I found out she was on UNICOM) said 'The grass runway is available. The ground has been frozen for 2 days.' I was at 500 FT AGL and in a downwind for the south facing runway. I knew I could make this runway and landed the airplane and stopped before the end. After shutting down the plane and contacting TRACON on the phone of an uneventful and successful landing; some other pilots at the field helped my tow the airplane to the ramp for re-fuel and I flew the 20 mile leg back my home airport safely. In retrospect: My enthusiasm for teaching the student overshadowed completing a visual check of the fuel tank on the ground at the diversion airport. Also; my hyper-focus on completed the elements of the lesson distracted me from a periodic scan of the engine instrumentation. In the future I will strive to slow down in my teaching environment and follow up behind my students more closely. In addition; I will develop a routine in the cockpit regarding engine instrumentation to keep a closer eye on the systems of the aircraft.
A DA20 Instructor became enthusiastic about his instructing task and allowed the aircraft to run out of fuel so that he had to declare an emergency; then land at a nearby airport.