Cessna 310 from Monterey, California, to Hilo Hawaii ...NOT

[George Taylor]

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(CNN) -- A 65-year-old man flying from California to Hawaii was forced to ditch his plane in the Pacific Ocean on Friday night 13 miles off the coast of Hilo after running out of gas, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The man was flying a Cessna 310 twin-engine aircraft from Monterey, California, to Hilo when he radioed federal aviation authorities that he was 500 miles out and low on fuel, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Angela Henderson, a spokeswoman for the Coast Guard.
He estimated he would run out of fuel 100 miles short of the island, according to a Coast Guard statement.
The Coast Guard deployed rescue crews aboard a C-130 Hercules and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to intercept the pilot and escort his plane with the hope of coaching him to a safe landing, said Coast Guard Lt. Gene Maestas.
But the plane ran out of fuel, they said.
"The pilot ditched his airplane at approximately 5:23 p.m. and climbed out of the cockpit onto the wing," the Coast Guard said in a statement.
The rescue crews pulled the pilot out of the water and transported him to Hilo Medical Center for evaluation, Henderson said.
"He was reported to be coherent with no significant injuries," the statement said.
Authorities did not immediately release the identity of the man, though the aircraft was registered to American King Air of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, an airplane ferry service.
"We are waiting right now to hear from the Coast Guard about the aircraft," Pablo Bassabe, a company vice president, told CNN.

[Lowjack]

[Changes in Latitudes]

Amazing. SAR people get my highest regard.

[Doc]

Didn't Michael Caine ditch a 310 in one of the JAWS movies?

Hey, a little more of a tail wind, he would have made it!

[iflyforpie]

Hey, a little more of a tail wind, he would have made it!

Or less headwind. 6 or 7 knots average above planned is all it takes for you to blow through a 1/2 hour fuel reserve on a 12+ hour trip. Same with two engines burning an extra gallon an hour. An engine failure means you will be getting your feet wet even if you still have hours of flying left.

I am curious though, what are the typical fuel reserves carried by ferrying light aircraft in sectors like this? Or in a case like this with no shorter routes and the limited payload for ferry tanks and survival gear is it more of an educated gamble?

[20DMEYYZ]

the flt alone was some kinda story, i sure wouldn't take that leg myself, never even liked crossing section's of superior in the 208 at ngt. glad all are safe though, the deep Pacific cannot be that warm at anytime im guessing.

[ArcticKat]

Already posted in the appropriate forum

viewtopic.php?f=118&t=77031