GA small aircraft off airport landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	154440
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : e14 airport : abq
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq tower : hou
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 450
ASRS Report	154440
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 8/sat/90, pilot/aircraft owner, telephonically requested home base FBO, at E14, fuel aircraft to capacity for flight on 8/sun/90. FBO acknowledged and advised fueling would be accomplished that day. Such practice is usual and customary. Prior to departure on 8/sun/90, pilot did not visually inspect fuel tanks due to high wing inaccessibility, rather, pilot relied on FBO's representations and past, similar, practice. On final approach to runway 8 albuquerque, aircraft ran out of fuel requiring emergency landing on a roadway. Landing was normal; no injuries. FBO personnel, on 8/sun/90, after event, acknowledged they forgot to fuel the aircraft and failed to notify pilot. Had FBO notified pilot of failure to fuel or provided ladders for high wing fuel tank inspection, event would not have occurred. Alternatively, FBO should initiate program of placing notice on aircraft when fueled so that pilots are made aware of actual fueling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA OFF ARPT LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: ON 8/SAT/90, PLT/ACFT OWNER, TELEPHONICALLY REQUESTED HOME BASE FBO, AT E14, FUEL ACFT TO CAPACITY FOR FLT ON 8/SUN/90. FBO ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADVISED FUELING WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED THAT DAY. SUCH PRACTICE IS USUAL AND CUSTOMARY. PRIOR TO DEP ON 8/SUN/90, PLT DID NOT VISUALLY INSPECT FUEL TANKS DUE TO HIGH WING INACCESSIBILITY, RATHER, PLT RELIED ON FBO'S REPRESENTATIONS AND PAST, SIMILAR, PRACTICE. ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 8 ALBUQUERQUE, ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL REQUIRING EMER LNDG ON A ROADWAY. LNDG WAS NORMAL; NO INJURIES. FBO PERSONNEL, ON 8/SUN/90, AFTER EVENT, ACKNOWLEDGED THEY FORGOT TO FUEL THE ACFT AND FAILED TO NOTIFY PLT. HAD FBO NOTIFIED PLT OF FAILURE TO FUEL OR PROVIDED LADDERS FOR HIGH WING FUEL TANK INSPECTION, EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. ALTERNATIVELY, FBO SHOULD INITIATE PROGRAM OF PLACING NOTICE ON ACFT WHEN FUELED SO THAT PLTS ARE MADE AWARE OF ACTUAL FUELING.

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.