Ran out of gas. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	312784
Time
Date	199508
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : szp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 170
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	312784
Person 2
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1100
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was signed off from annual inspection aug/sun/95. I was flying past santa paula airport heading about 260 degrees, was approximately 2 mi west of airport when I decided to lean aircraft out. As soon as I touched mixture control engine stopped. I pushed mixture control in but engine only idled and eventually stopped completely. I contacted santa paula, advised them I was inbound with dead engine. Landing was uneventful. No damage to anything or anyone. Aircraft was checked over by mechanic and flown home no further problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: it was just coincidental that, when adjusting the mixture control, the engine quit. The reporter pilot had failed to check the gas level on preflight and simply ran out of gas. He was close enough to the airport to dead stick it in. 'Very embarrassing,' said the reporter because everyone stopped and watched, then had to help him push the aircraft off the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAN OUT OF GAS.

Narrative: ACFT WAS SIGNED OFF FROM ANNUAL INSPECTION AUG/SUN/95. I WAS FLYING PAST SANTA PAULA ARPT HEADING ABOUT 260 DEGS, WAS APPROX 2 MI W OF ARPT WHEN I DECIDED TO LEAN ACFT OUT. AS SOON AS I TOUCHED MIXTURE CTL ENG STOPPED. I PUSHED MIXTURE CTL IN BUT ENG ONLY IDLED AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED COMPLETELY. I CONTACTED SANTA PAULA, ADVISED THEM I WAS INBOUND WITH DEAD ENG. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. NO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING OR ANYONE. ACFT WAS CHKED OVER BY MECH AND FLOWN HOME NO FURTHER PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: IT WAS JUST COINCIDENTAL THAT, WHEN ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE CTL, THE ENG QUIT. THE RPTR PLT HAD FAILED TO CHK THE GAS LEVEL ON PREFLT AND SIMPLY RAN OUT OF GAS. HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE ARPT TO DEAD STICK IT IN. 'VERY EMBARRASSING,' SAID THE RPTR BECAUSE EVERYONE STOPPED AND WATCHED, THEN HAD TO HELP HIM PUSH THE ACFT OFF THE RWY.

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.