Narrative:

The problem arose because of an apparent lack of sufficient fuel supply. The problem occurred when on final approach to runway 17 at slc. The engine on the cessna 152 began to sputter. Proper technique was used to try and restart the engine. The engine did not restart. The action taken to correct for this was to make an unscheduled off airport landing. This was successful in the sense that no person or property was damaged, injured, or killed. The problem of fuel starvation was discovered when the PIC in the left seat noticed that both fuel tank gauges read empty. This was on final approach. The factors which led to fuel starvation were: 1) improper preflight planning, 2) carelessness in the air, 3) avoidance of responsibility. In preflight, an exact time-to- land was not calculated for the trip. Instead, the hobbs meter was implemented in determining the endurance time while airborne. While in the air an incorrect reading was taken from the hobbs logbook and, therefore, the calculation for an endurance time and a time-to-land were made. 2 pilots were in command of the aircraft. The higher time pilot (1200 hours) relied on the lower time pilot (200 hours) to calculate a landing time. The lower time pilot, however, did not take the full responsibility of taking the task seriously. Instead, the lower time pilot was relying on the higher time pilot. The factors affecting the quality of human performance: both pilots were relying on the other to take responsibility for the fuel management of the aircraft. What I feel really caused the problem of fuel starvation was improper preflight action. A time was not calculated on the ground for when the aircraft should be back on the ground. Also, I feel that a lax attitude was used in the aircraft to misread the hobbs logbook.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 RATED PLTS OF AN SMA SEL MADE AN OFF ARPT UNSCHEDULED FORCED LNDG AFTER THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF AN APPARENT LACK OF SUFFICIENT FUEL SUPPLY. THE PROB OCCURRED WHEN ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 17 AT SLC. THE ENG ON THE CESSNA 152 BEGAN TO SPUTTER. PROPER TECHNIQUE WAS USED TO TRY AND RESTART THE ENG. THE ENG DID NOT RESTART. THE ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT FOR THIS WAS TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED OFF ARPT LNDG. THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THE SENSE THAT NO PERSON OR PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED, INJURED, OR KILLED. THE PROB OF FUEL STARVATION WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE PIC IN THE L SEAT NOTICED THAT BOTH FUEL TANK GAUGES READ EMPTY. THIS WAS ON FINAL APCH. THE FACTORS WHICH LED TO FUEL STARVATION WERE: 1) IMPROPER PREFLT PLANNING, 2) CARELESSNESS IN THE AIR, 3) AVOIDANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY. IN PREFLT, AN EXACT TIME-TO- LAND WAS NOT CALCULATED FOR THE TRIP. INSTEAD, THE HOBBS METER WAS IMPLEMENTED IN DETERMINING THE ENDURANCE TIME WHILE AIRBORNE. WHILE IN THE AIR AN INCORRECT READING WAS TAKEN FROM THE HOBBS LOGBOOK AND, THEREFORE, THE CALCULATION FOR AN ENDURANCE TIME AND A TIME-TO-LAND WERE MADE. 2 PLTS WERE IN COMMAND OF THE ACFT. THE HIGHER TIME PLT (1200 HRS) RELIED ON THE LOWER TIME PLT (200 HRS) TO CALCULATE A LNDG TIME. THE LOWER TIME PLT, HOWEVER, DID NOT TAKE THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING THE TASK SERIOUSLY. INSTEAD, THE LOWER TIME PLT WAS RELYING ON THE HIGHER TIME PLT. THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: BOTH PLTS WERE RELYING ON THE OTHER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUEL MGMNT OF THE ACFT. WHAT I FEEL REALLY CAUSED THE PROB OF FUEL STARVATION WAS IMPROPER PREFLT ACTION. A TIME WAS NOT CALCULATED ON THE GND FOR WHEN THE ACFT SHOULD BE BACK ON THE GND. ALSO, I FEEL THAT A LAX ATTITUDE WAS USED IN THE ACFT TO MISREAD THE HOBBS LOGBOOK.

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.