Small aircraft makes dead stick landing due to faulty fuel gauges.

Attributes
ACN	274162
Time
Date	199406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bil
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bil tower : prc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 216 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	274162
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The C-152 doesn't have a fuel selector valve. It has a basic on/off valve. En route, the fuel was completely drained in one tank, therefore indicating 10 gallons of fuel in my loan tank. The performance charts indicate a 6 gallon per hour consumption rate at cruise. Figuring this and a small given headwind component, fuel figured okay. The next mins showed a drastic consumption rate, as I watched my fuel gauge go down. This is when I entered the pattern and lost my engine. The point I am making is in regard to the factors of trust with the performance charts and listed useable fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKES DEAD STICK LNDG DUE TO FAULTY FUEL GAUGES.

Narrative: THE C-152 DOESN'T HAVE A FUEL SELECTOR VALVE. IT HAS A BASIC ON/OFF VALVE. ENRTE, THE FUEL WAS COMPLETELY DRAINED IN ONE TANK, THEREFORE INDICATING 10 GALLONS OF FUEL IN MY LOAN TANK. THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATE A 6 GALLON PER HR CONSUMPTION RATE AT CRUISE. FIGURING THIS AND A SMALL GIVEN HEADWIND COMPONENT, FUEL FIGURED OKAY. THE NEXT MINS SHOWED A DRASTIC CONSUMPTION RATE, AS I WATCHED MY FUEL GAUGE GO DOWN. THIS IS WHEN I ENTERED THE PATTERN AND LOST MY ENG. THE POINT I AM MAKING IS IN REGARD TO THE FACTORS OF TRUST WITH THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS AND LISTED USEABLE FUEL.

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.