PA-25 pilot reported landing safely after the engine quit because of fuel exhaustion. Reporter state...

Attributes
ACN	1369094
Time
Date	201607
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-25 Pawnee
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Fuel Quantity-Pressure Indication
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 10915 Flight Crew Type 40
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue

Narrative:

During preflight of the PA-25-235 pawnee; I noticed that the float type fuel level indicator was showing full. This was normal as it is customary to fill the tank at the end of the previous day. If the tank is filled to the top; it may take as many as 3 or 4 [short] flights to get enough fuel out for the float mechanism to start showing a decrease in level. On the fifth tow of the day I noticed that the tank level was still indicating full. I resolved to visually check the level after the tow. Too bad for me the engine starved of fuel about 20 seconds later. I glided back to the airport for an uneventful landing. The fuel level indicator was still showing full. I had to climb up and hit the indicator with my open palm 3 times before it finally dropped from full to empty. I have resolved to never trust a non moving fuel level indicator and will always check fuel level with a dipstick or by eye at every preflight check. Our inspection authorization (ia) is being notified of this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA-25 pilot reported landing safely after the engine quit because of fuel exhaustion. Reporter stated the float-type fuel level gauge was stuck in the 'full tank' position.

Narrative: During preflight of the PA-25-235 Pawnee; I noticed that the float type fuel level indicator was showing full. This was normal as it is customary to fill the tank at the end of the previous day. If the tank is filled to the top; it may take as many as 3 or 4 [short] flights to get enough fuel out for the float mechanism to start showing a decrease in level. On the fifth tow of the day I noticed that the tank level was still indicating full. I resolved to visually check the level after the tow. Too bad for me the engine starved of fuel about 20 seconds later. I glided back to the airport for an uneventful landing. The fuel level indicator was still showing full. I had to climb up and hit the indicator with my open palm 3 times before it finally dropped from full to empty. I have resolved to never trust a non moving fuel level indicator and will always check fuel level with a dipstick or by eye at every preflight check. Our Inspection Authorization (IA) is being notified of this problem.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.