PA25 pilot reported landing safely after running out of fuel after releasing a glider.

Attributes
ACN	1480150
Time
Date	201708
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-25 Pawnee
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Engine
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40 Flight Crew Total 1300 Flight Crew Type 50
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue

Narrative:

I was towing a glider at 3;000 feet when the piper pawnee I was flying ran out of fuel. The standard practice at our glider field is that when a tow pilot finishes the day; the aircraft is refueled before it is returned to the hangar. The pawnee has a plexiglass sight gauge that had become yellowed and was difficult to see the float fuel indicator. Unknown to me; the fuel tank at the field was empty at the end of the previous flights; and the plane was not refueled. I towed a glider to an altitude of 3;000 feet and the engine quit. The glider released and I circled the field and made an uneventful landing.our practice at the field is to make ten tows and then get fuel. I did not visually inspect the sight gauge and there was not a note on the aircraft that it was not refueled after the last flight of the previous session. I did an inadequate preflight and was fortunate to have a successful conclusion of the flight. The fuel sight gauge has been replaced and it has been emphasized to all pilots to do a thorough preflight and if a pilot discovers anything out of the ordinary; leave a note in the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA25 pilot reported landing safely after running out of fuel after releasing a glider.

Narrative: I was towing a glider at 3;000 feet when the Piper Pawnee I was flying ran out of fuel. The standard practice at our glider field is that when a tow pilot finishes the day; the aircraft is refueled before it is returned to the hangar. The Pawnee has a plexiglass sight gauge that had become yellowed and was difficult to see the float fuel indicator. Unknown to me; the fuel tank at the field was empty at the end of the previous flights; and the plane was not refueled. I towed a glider to an altitude of 3;000 feet and the engine quit. The glider released and I circled the field and made an uneventful landing.Our practice at the field is to make ten tows and then get fuel. I did not visually inspect the sight gauge and there was not a note on the aircraft that it was not refueled after the last flight of the previous session. I did an inadequate preflight and was fortunate to have a successful conclusion of the flight. The fuel sight gauge has been replaced and it has been emphasized to all pilots to do a thorough preflight and if a pilot discovers anything out of the ordinary; leave a note in the aircraft.

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.