Small transport on test flight has fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	276855
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ryy
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	276855
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose when the right engine needed overhauling. When the work had been completed, I was asked to test fly the airplane earlier I knew the aircraft already had fuel in it. The mechanic looked over the engines after my preflight was complete to ensure everything was as it should be. I started the airplane and completed 2 high speed (70 mph) taxi runs down the runway. Upon bringing the airplane back to the ramp, the mechanic looked over the engines again. At that point I took the airplane off and made a test flight starting with circling the airport at 2500 ft at full power. The flight was continued at full power to attempt to seat the cylinders. After circling mccollum airport several times, I decided to fly over to de kalb-peachtree airport. Upon arriving I made 1 low pass on runway 20L before circling to land. After spending about 45 mins on the ground I completed another preflight and then taxied out and departed on runway 20L. Upon flying directly back to mccollum airport I lost power to my left engine. I left it windmilling to cycle my gear down. Upon losing my left engine I was 3-4 mi southeast of mccollum at 2500 ft. My right engine was running strong, so after noticing no traffic in the pattern, I continued straight in for a long final to runway 27. After landing without incident the aircraft was determined to have no fuel in the left tank and about a gallon in the right. The situation could have been prevented with better knowledge of fuel quantity and more thorough preflight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ON TEST FLT HAS FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN THE R ENG NEEDED OVERHAULING. WHEN THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED, I WAS ASKED TO TEST FLY THE AIRPLANE EARLIER I KNEW THE ACFT ALREADY HAD FUEL IN IT. THE MECH LOOKED OVER THE ENGS AFTER MY PREFLT WAS COMPLETE TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. I STARTED THE AIRPLANE AND COMPLETED 2 HIGH SPD (70 MPH) TAXI RUNS DOWN THE RWY. UPON BRINGING THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE RAMP, THE MECH LOOKED OVER THE ENGS AGAIN. AT THAT POINT I TOOK THE AIRPLANE OFF AND MADE A TEST FLT STARTING WITH CIRCLING THE ARPT AT 2500 FT AT FULL PWR. THE FLT WAS CONTINUED AT FULL PWR TO ATTEMPT TO SEAT THE CYLINDERS. AFTER CIRCLING MCCOLLUM ARPT SEVERAL TIMES, I DECIDED TO FLY OVER TO DE KALB-PEACHTREE ARPT. UPON ARRIVING I MADE 1 LOW PASS ON RWY 20L BEFORE CIRCLING TO LAND. AFTER SPENDING ABOUT 45 MINS ON THE GND I COMPLETED ANOTHER PREFLT AND THEN TAXIED OUT AND DEPARTED ON RWY 20L. UPON FLYING DIRECTLY BACK TO MCCOLLUM ARPT I LOST PWR TO MY L ENG. I LEFT IT WINDMILLING TO CYCLE MY GEAR DOWN. UPON LOSING MY L ENG I WAS 3-4 MI SE OF MCCOLLUM AT 2500 FT. MY R ENG WAS RUNNING STRONG, SO AFTER NOTICING NO TFC IN THE PATTERN, I CONTINUED STRAIGHT IN FOR A LONG FINAL TO RWY 27. AFTER LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT THE ACFT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE NO FUEL IN THE L TANK AND ABOUT A GALLON IN THE R. THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF FUEL QUANTITY AND MORE THOROUGH PREFLT.

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.