Narrative:

I flew an small aircraft many wkends at a small grass strip as an air ride pilot. We flew until we needed gas, and that was determined by looking in the task. I felt I knew a lot about fuel quantity north the small aircraft from having looked in the tanks so often. On the day in question, I planned a flight from eglin AFB (vps) in florida, to alexandria-esler field (esf) in louisiana, as a first trip leg to fort worth, tx. I noted the tanks were not filled to touching the filler neck, but did not appear to me to be more than 1 inch low. I remember thinking about the situation, but only 1 inch did not seem significant. I also expected to have an hour plus fuel remaining at destination, and certainly didn't feel the '1 inch low' would be significant. As it turned out, nearing esf airport in louisiana, I noted that the left fuel tank appeared lower than the right tank. I switched to the right tank, and shortly thereafter the engine sputtered 1 time. I immediately went back to both tanks and the engine churned on. We were getting ready to set up for the final approach, and were transitioning from VOR tracking to visual for landing at the time. When the engine sputtered, I requested immediate vectors to the runway from ATC. They asked if I wanted to declare an emergency. I've always read that many people wait too long to declare an emergency, so I said yes to the controller's inquiry. He gave me vectors to the runway, and we were down with no problems in 5-8 mins would be my guess. Human factors: 1) don't think you know it all. If there's any question at all, check it out. 2) I am certainly glad that I was careful and deliberate in leaning the fuel mixture above 3000 ft as recommended. 3) my reaction to the engine sputtering to change the fuel selector back was immediate, although I'd never had this happen to me before. 4) there was no haste or rush to depart on the trip. I should not have trusted my 'judgement' regarding the fuel load. To correct the situation and/or prevent similar occurrences: 1) question anything that causes you to think 'is it ok or not.' 2) look for more information on the subject to confirm a decision. 3) know your aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON XCOUNTRY HAS ENG SPUTTER. DECLARES EMER AND LANDS.

Narrative: I FLEW AN SMA MANY WKENDS AT A SMALL GRASS STRIP AS AN AIR RIDE PLT. WE FLEW UNTIL WE NEEDED GAS, AND THAT WAS DETERMINED BY LOOKING IN THE TASK. I FELT I KNEW A LOT ABOUT FUEL QUANTITY N THE SMA FROM HAVING LOOKED IN THE TANKS SO OFTEN. ON THE DAY IN QUESTION, I PLANNED A FLT FROM EGLIN AFB (VPS) IN FLORIDA, TO ALEXANDRIA-ESLER FIELD (ESF) IN LOUISIANA, AS A FIRST TRIP LEG TO FORT WORTH, TX. I NOTED THE TANKS WERE NOT FILLED TO TOUCHING THE FILLER NECK, BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO ME TO BE MORE THAN 1 INCH LOW. I REMEMBER THINKING ABOUT THE SIT, BUT ONLY 1 INCH DID NOT SEEM SIGNIFICANT. I ALSO EXPECTED TO HAVE AN HR PLUS FUEL REMAINING AT DEST, AND CERTAINLY DIDN'T FEEL THE '1 INCH LOW' WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT. AS IT TURNED OUT, NEARING ESF ARPT IN LOUISIANA, I NOTED THAT THE L FUEL TANK APPEARED LOWER THAN THE R TANK. I SWITCHED TO THE R TANK, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENG SPUTTERED 1 TIME. I IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK TO BOTH TANKS AND THE ENG CHURNED ON. WE WERE GETTING READY TO SET UP FOR THE FINAL APCH, AND WERE TRANSITIONING FROM VOR TRACKING TO VISUAL FOR LNDG AT THE TIME. WHEN THE ENG SPUTTERED, I REQUESTED IMMEDIATE VECTORS TO THE RWY FROM ATC. THEY ASKED IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I'VE ALWAYS READ THAT MANY PEOPLE WAIT TOO LONG TO DECLARE AN EMER, SO I SAID YES TO THE CTLR'S INQUIRY. HE GAVE ME VECTORS TO THE RWY, AND WE WERE DOWN WITH NO PROBS IN 5-8 MINS WOULD BE MY GUESS. HUMAN FACTORS: 1) DON'T THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION AT ALL, CHK IT OUT. 2) I AM CERTAINLY GLAD THAT I WAS CAREFUL AND DELIBERATE IN LEANING THE FUEL MIXTURE ABOVE 3000 FT AS RECOMMENDED. 3) MY REACTION TO THE ENG SPUTTERING TO CHANGE THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK WAS IMMEDIATE, ALTHOUGH I'D NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE. 4) THERE WAS NO HASTE OR RUSH TO DEPART ON THE TRIP. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TRUSTED MY 'JUDGEMENT' REGARDING THE FUEL LOAD. TO CORRECT THE SIT AND/OR PREVENT SIMILAR OCCURRENCES: 1) QUESTION ANYTHING THAT CAUSES YOU TO THINK 'IS IT OK OR NOT.' 2) LOOK FOR MORE INFO ON THE SUBJECT TO CONFIRM A DECISION. 3) KNOW YOUR ACFT.

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.