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M20K aircraft ran out of fuel on approach and had to land short of runway. Reporter pilot says that fuel was still indicating in 1 tank, but apparently the gauge was faulty.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 380408 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ca35 |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 J (201) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 2600 |
| ASRS Report | 380408 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Engine stopped due to fuel starvation during approach to landing at CA35. Fuel selector on left tank still indicated 9 gallons remaining in that tank. During preflight at sacramento international, both left and right gauges indicated slightly over 9 gallons each -- total of 19 gallons. This would provide sufficient night VFR reserves for the flight to smith ranch (CA35). The inaccurate gauge caused pilot to make flight with insufficient fuel to meet part 91 requirements and engine stopped on final approach to landing. Violation of FARS requiring sufficient fuel to complete flight plus reserve. Service and calibration of fuel gauges will rectify the problem. Aircraft landed short of runway 22 at CA35 -- no injuries, no property damage. Came close to power lines on final due to engine failure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: M20K ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL ON APCH AND HAD TO LAND SHORT OF RWY. RPTR PLT SAYS THAT FUEL WAS STILL INDICATING IN 1 TANK, BUT APPARENTLY THE GAUGE WAS FAULTY.
Narrative: ENG STOPPED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION DURING APCH TO LNDG AT CA35. FUEL SELECTOR ON L TANK STILL INDICATED 9 GALLONS REMAINING IN THAT TANK. DURING PREFLT AT SACRAMENTO INTL, BOTH L AND R GAUGES INDICATED SLIGHTLY OVER 9 GALLONS EACH -- TOTAL OF 19 GALLONS. THIS WOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT NIGHT VFR RESERVES FOR THE FLT TO SMITH RANCH (CA35). THE INACCURATE GAUGE CAUSED PLT TO MAKE FLT WITH INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO MEET PART 91 REQUIREMENTS AND ENG STOPPED ON FINAL APCH TO LNDG. VIOLATION OF FARS REQUIRING SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE FLT PLUS RESERVE. SVC AND CALIBRATION OF FUEL GAUGES WILL RECTIFY THE PROB. ACFT LANDED SHORT OF RWY 22 AT CA35 -- NO INJURIES, NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. CAME CLOSE TO PWR LINES ON FINAL DUE TO ENG FAILURE.
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.