2 small aircraft pilots ran one of their fuel tanks dry on approach.

Attributes
ACN	258871
Time
Date	199312
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 8 flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 221 flight time type : 61
ASRS Report	258871
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 107 flight time total : 1325 flight time type : 38
ASRS Report	258867
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on an IFR training flight from frg to clt. Fuel was being managed by switching tanks about once each hour. The last tank switch was missed and on final approach the engine sputtered. I advised ATC that we had lost the engine which was an overstatement. We immediately switched tanks and regained full power. Factors that contributed to this were: 3 route changes during the last 45 mins of flight, problem with instructor's headset, clearance for approach to a runway not specified in ATIS, cancellations of approach clearance just prior to intercept (when gump check would have been started), and climb clearance and vectors to different approach. Supplemental information from acn 258867: tower chief asked if we had plenty of fuel and when we replied yes, he said no problem, he's closing log on it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 SMA PLTS RAN ONE OF THEIR FUEL TANKS DRY ON APCH.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR TRAINING FLT FROM FRG TO CLT. FUEL WAS BEING MANAGED BY SWITCHING TANKS ABOUT ONCE EACH HR. THE LAST TANK SWITCH WAS MISSED AND ON FINAL APCH THE ENG SPUTTERED. I ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD LOST THE ENG WHICH WAS AN OVERSTATEMENT. WE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TANKS AND REGAINED FULL PWR. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS WERE: 3 RTE CHANGES DURING THE LAST 45 MINS OF FLT, PROB WITH INSTRUCTOR'S HEADSET, CLRNC FOR APCH TO A RWY NOT SPECIFIED IN ATIS, CANCELLATIONS OF APCH CLRNC JUST PRIOR TO INTERCEPT (WHEN GUMP CHK WOULD HAVE BEEN STARTED), AND CLB CLRNC AND VECTORS TO DIFFERENT APCH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 258867: TWR CHIEF ASKED IF WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL AND WHEN WE REPLIED YES, HE SAID NO PROB, HE'S CLOSING LOG ON IT.

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.