Skylark 175
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 17; Flight Crew Total 1309; Flight Crew Type 1300
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Time Pressure
Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Weather; Aircraft
[I] left on a three and a half hour flight. The plane has 46 gallons of usable fuel on board. I visually checked it before leaving. Plane uses 10 gallons an hour at 24-24 RPM. I was on the approach to my destination. I listened to their weather no less than 4 times. The wind was ranging from 17-23 gusting 23-27 ranging from 270-310. On my final approach the wind was gusting directly across runway; too much for my 175 tail dragger to set down safely. I gave it the power to go to another airport. I took a right turn leveled out at about 300 FT; the engine stopped. I turned the boost pump on; engine started again; figured for some reason I must be out of fuel so immediately I switched frequency to a nearby military Tower as runway was off to my right by about 2 miles. After calling about 4-6 times Tower answered and I declared an emergency. They told me the airport was closed. I told them I had to land anyway. I then went through 5 hours of search and interrogation; and then got fuel. They then opened the airport so I could leave for my destination 26 miles to the north. (They were great.) I am investigating as to why I used so much fuel. I should have had at least 45 minutes left even after I landed at the military airport. I have no regrets that I landed at this military base. I believe I made the right decision. This experience has certainly made me aware that the unthinkable can happen. I just feel very fortunate that the base was so close. On the remainder of the trip I used a consistent 10 gallons an hour. I know fuel expands when hot. The temperature at my original departure airport was in the 70's. By the time I got to the first airport after flying at 5;000 FT the temp dropped to the high 30's. I am sure I would not have lost 10 gallons because of temperature change.
A C175 departed with more than enough fuel for a 3 and a half hour flight but the engine quit because of fuel starvation while executing a windshear go around so the pilot diverted to a military field with the boost pumps ON.