Fuel starvation on small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	150309
Time
Date	199007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mcc tower : sac
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	150309
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Visually inspected fuel quantity during preflight. Estimated sufficient for trip (plus 45) and VFR day reserves (30 min) approximately 35 gallons. Flew on right tank until estimated at near empty. Flew on left until exhausted although left gauge indicated 10 gallons remaining. Switched to right tank, turned towards sac executive. Right tank exhausted after approximately 5 mins. Requested precautionary landing at sac executive. Descent and landing from 4500' uneventful. Left tank still indicated 10 gallons after T/D. Previous day, flight on left tank needle dropped all the way to empty mark, required 38 gallons when fueled (40 gallon tank). Assumed gauge was accurate from preceding day. Did not provide sufficient 'extra' fuel during preflight. Should not have flown west/O verification of actual fuel quantity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL STARVATION ON SMA.

Narrative: VISUALLY INSPECTED FUEL QUANTITY DURING PREFLT. ESTIMATED SUFFICIENT FOR TRIP (PLUS 45) AND VFR DAY RESERVES (30 MIN) APPROX 35 GALLONS. FLEW ON R TANK UNTIL ESTIMATED AT NEAR EMPTY. FLEW ON L UNTIL EXHAUSTED ALTHOUGH L GAUGE INDICATED 10 GALLONS REMAINING. SWITCHED TO R TANK, TURNED TOWARDS SAC EXECUTIVE. R TANK EXHAUSTED AFTER APPROX 5 MINS. REQUESTED PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT SAC EXECUTIVE. DSNT AND LNDG FROM 4500' UNEVENTFUL. L TANK STILL INDICATED 10 GALLONS AFTER T/D. PREVIOUS DAY, FLT ON L TANK NEEDLE DROPPED ALL THE WAY TO EMPTY MARK, REQUIRED 38 GALLONS WHEN FUELED (40 GALLON TANK). ASSUMED GAUGE WAS ACCURATE FROM PRECEDING DAY. DID NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT 'EXTRA' FUEL DURING PREFLT. SHOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN W/O VERIFICATION OF ACTUAL FUEL QUANTITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.