Pilot of an small aircraft sel landed at an airport short of destination due to engine quitting beca...

Attributes
ACN	277642
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : i74
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 680 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	277642
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I performed preflight before departure including visually checking the fuel quantity and although the ranks were not brimming, I believed the fuel to be adequate for the journey, including a reserve. Contributory factors being the ground was uneven and it is local practice to always leave tanks full. I departed cushing field, DC8, in illinois. I estimated my time en route to be 3 hours. I believed I had about 4 hours fuel available based on actual usable fuel of 24.5 gallons and a consumption rate of 6 gph. During the flight I monitored my fuel gauges and checked the time of engine failure at about XN15Z, the left fuel gauge was low but the right was showing more than 1/4 full. It was only after I landed and checked the tanks that I discovered the problem was one of fuel. I subsequently checked the fuel consumption under similar conditions and found it to be 6.8 gph.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL LANDED AT AN ARPT SHORT OF DEST DUE TO ENG QUITTING BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: I PERFORMED PREFLT BEFORE DEP INCLUDING VISUALLY CHKING THE FUEL QUANTITY AND ALTHOUGH THE RANKS WERE NOT BRIMMING, I BELIEVED THE FUEL TO BE ADEQUATE FOR THE JOURNEY, INCLUDING A RESERVE. CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS BEING THE GND WAS UNEVEN AND IT IS LCL PRACTICE TO ALWAYS LEAVE TANKS FULL. I DEPARTED CUSHING FIELD, DC8, IN ILLINOIS. I ESTIMATED MY TIME ENRTE TO BE 3 HRS. I BELIEVED I HAD ABOUT 4 HRS FUEL AVAILABLE BASED ON ACTUAL USABLE FUEL OF 24.5 GALLONS AND A CONSUMPTION RATE OF 6 GPH. DURING THE FLT I MONITORED MY FUEL GAUGES AND CHKED THE TIME OF ENG FAILURE AT ABOUT XN15Z, THE L FUEL GAUGE WAS LOW BUT THE R WAS SHOWING MORE THAN 1/4 FULL. IT WAS ONLY AFTER I LANDED AND CHKED THE TANKS THAT I DISCOVERED THE PROB WAS ONE OF FUEL. I SUBSEQUENTLY CHKED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS AND FOUND IT TO BE 6.8 GPH.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft sel landed at an airport short of destination due to engine quitting because of fuel starvation.