Running out of gas is one of those emergencies that pilots like to say "couldn't happen to me." But it's like gear-up landings: There are those who have, those who will, and the rest of us — those who've scared themselves silly by almost doing it.
There is no excuse for running out of gas, but, in fact, it happens a lot. According to AOPA Air Safety Foundation figures based on 13,260 general aviation accidents between 1982 and 1987, running out of gas accounted for more than one out of every 10 pilot-related accidents, i.e., those not due to mechanical failure of some sort. Of these, fuel starvation (caused by forgetting to switch tanks, switching to an empty tank, improper pump operation, and the like) accounted for about a third. But fuel exhaustion — running out of gas — accounted for the vast majority of the nonmechanical fuel- related accidents.
Few pilots would hesitate to declare an emergency in the event of in- flight fire, mechanical failure, or structural damage. Many are loathe, however, to request assistance when they encounter a situation that, while it might not be immediately perilous, is potentially catastrophic.
Such is the case with fuel exhaustion. While low fuel is not necessarily an emergency, it obviously will become one if the pilot takes no action. This is not the time for the pilot to occupy himself with considerations of how his preflight planning or enroute decision-making skills could be improved. It is' the time to take action.
To the FAA, two types of situations classify as emergencies. An 'urgency condition' is one in which the pilot is concerned about safety and requires timely but not immediate assistance. A distress condition is one in which the pilot is threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. An urgency condition is considered a potential distress condition.
You can only alert air traffic control specialists to your problem by using the proper terminology. Pan-pan is the international urgency signal. Repeat "pan-pan" three times to indicate uncertainty or to alert ATC and follow up with a description of your problem. Mayday is the international distress signal. Repeat "mayday" three times to indicate imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is required. And, of course, emergency is another magic word that will get the controller's attention tout de suite.
(A note on radio etiquette: Distress communications have absolute priority over all other communications. The word "mayday" commands radio silence on the frequency in use. Urgency communications have priority over all but distress communications. "Pan-pan" warns other stations not to interfere with urgency transmissions. Aircraft and ground stations should continue to listen until it is evident that assistance is being provided, but if any station becomes aware that the facility being called has not received a distress or urgency message, or cannot communicate with the aircraft in difficulty, it should attempt to contact the aircraft and provide assistance. Usually, if ATC wants this kind of help, the controller will ask a specific airplane to attempt to make contact with the aircraft in difficulty.)
A fuel exhaustion emergency does not begin when the engine stops. An aircraft is in at least an urgency condition the moment the pilot becomes doubtful about his fuel endurance (or, for that matter, his position, the weather, or any other condition that could adversely affect the safe outcome of the flight). This is the time to ask for help, not when a true distress condition has evolved.
As the U.S. Aeronautical Information Publication states, "Pilots who become apprehensive for their safety for any reason should request assistance immediately. Ready and willing help is available in the form of radio, radar, direction finding [DF] stations, and other aircraft. Delay has caused accidents and cost fives. Safety is not a luxury. Take action."
Controllers are no fools. If you beat around the bush, the controller may ask you straight out if you wish to declare an emergency. It takes a strong-willed pilot to say "yes" at a time like this, but " yes" is the thing to say. The controller is not trying to assess blame or cover his backside when he asks this; he is trying to determine what level assistance you need. If you assure him you are not in an urgency or distress condition, there is little he can do to help you.
Controllers, however, are taught that, if the words "emergency," "mayday," or "pan-pan" are not used, and they are "in doubt that a situation constitutes an emergency or potential emergency," they should "handle it as though it were an emergency," according to the U.S. Air Traffic Control Handbook. Further, controllers are instructed that "when you believe an emergency exists or is imminent, select and pursue a course of action which appears to be most appropriate under the circumstances" and which most nearly conforms to standard ATC procedures.
Controllers can't read your mind, though. They might not comprehend your subtle hints. Even your statement "we're running out of fuel" might not be enough to push the controller's button unless you accompany it with one of the magic words.
For pilots flying on an IFR flight plan, there is one other important procedure, called the minimum fuel advisory (the Airman's Information Manual outlines this procedure). When your fuel supply reaches the level at which, upon reaching your destination, you cannot accept any undue delay, you should advise ATC of "minimum fuel." A minimum fuel advisory is not a declaration of urgency or distress; it does not imply an emergency. It is merely an advisory that indicates and emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur.
(The definition of "undue" is pretty much up to you, but a minimum fuel advisory does not imply a need for priority handling, so don't wait too long to make it. If you believe the remaining fuel will make it necessary to receive priority handling in order to make a safe landing, declare and emergency, state that you have a low fuel condition, and report fuel remaining in minutes.)
When you declare a state of minimum fuel, the controller will relay this information to the facility to which you will be handed off and will remain alert for any situation that might delay you.
An IFR pilot often has less control over his fuel state than a VFR pilot because he has little if any control over routing changes, holds, missed approaches, diversions to alternate airports, and so on. That's why the FAA mandates a minimum amount of fuel for an IFR flight — specifically, enough fuel to fly to and alternate airport and then fly for and additional 45 minuets at a normal cruise speed.
A lot of VFR pilots forget, however, that the FAA also mandates minimum fuel for VFR flights — specifically, enough fuel to fly to the destination plus (for day flights) 30 minutes at normal cruise speed or (for night flights) 45 minutes at normal cruise speed. Anyone who's ever gotten lost on a VFR cross country can tell you half an hour passes pretty quickly. Adverse winds or an unplanned delay can also eat up your reserves in short order. For this reason, VFR pilots should be prepared to contact a flight service station or ATC facility if they become concerned about the safety of the flight for any reason.
As we've said, there's no excuse for running out of fuel. And as the National Transportation Safety Board noted in a safety recommendation following the crash of Avianca Flight 522 in January, "...flight crews must be thoroughly knowledgeable of the flight operation and ATC rules and procedures, including standard phraseology,...and must be particularly familiar with pilot duties and responsibilities affecting flight operations and safety which include fuel supply, emergency conditions, requests for assistance, declaring a state of minimum fuel, and declaring an emergency for additional ATC assistance to ensure a safe landing."
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