Left engine of an small aircraft twin quit on final due to fuel starvation during a multi engine tra...

Attributes
ACN	449369
Time
Date	199909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fat.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	449369
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : left engine quit other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Turning base to final, the left engine lost power due to fuel starvation. The tank was empty. I took control from the student and landed without incident. I purposely didn't feather the engine because I didn't want to have to answer questions to the tower, ground control or the FSDO located on the field. I taxied without incident. Only my student, myself and my employer know what happened. The problem began when I failed to ask the student how much fuel was on board prior to takeoff. I normally do this but this time I didn't. I don't know why because I normally ask or physically check myself. This time I didn't. It was further complicated by the fact that I didn't follow the student as he did all of the runup and pretkof checks. I had plenty of opportunity to do this. I got complacent. I also had about 6 or 8 chances to check the fuel gauges in-flight. Again, I didn't. The moral of the story is do not ever get complacent about flying. I did, and at the least I set a bad example for a student pilot. It could have been much worse. Let me correct one thing. I did finally feather after rollout and when clearing the runway. I taxied to parking at the far end of the field to our school. Luckily tower, even though they didn't know I had a problem, let me taxi to the end of the runway prior to turning off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L ENG OF AN SMA TWIN QUIT ON FINAL DUE TO FUEL STARVATION DURING A MULTI ENG TRAINING FLT.

Narrative: TURNING BASE TO FINAL, THE L ENG LOST PWR DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE TANK WAS EMPTY. I TOOK CTL FROM THE STUDENT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I PURPOSELY DIDN'T FEATHER THE ENG BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TO THE TWR, GND CTL OR THE FSDO LOCATED ON THE FIELD. I TAXIED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ONLY MY STUDENT, MYSELF AND MY EMPLOYER KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. THE PROB BEGAN WHEN I FAILED TO ASK THE STUDENT HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ON BOARD PRIOR TO TKOF. I NORMALLY DO THIS BUT THIS TIME I DIDN'T. I DON'T KNOW WHY BECAUSE I NORMALLY ASK OR PHYSICALLY CHK MYSELF. THIS TIME I DIDN'T. IT WAS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T FOLLOW THE STUDENT AS HE DID ALL OF THE RUNUP AND PRETKOF CHKS. I HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. I GOT COMPLACENT. I ALSO HAD ABOUT 6 OR 8 CHANCES TO CHK THE FUEL GAUGES INFLT. AGAIN, I DIDN'T. THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS DO NOT EVER GET COMPLACENT ABOUT FLYING. I DID, AND AT THE LEAST I SET A BAD EXAMPLE FOR A STUDENT PLT. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. LET ME CORRECT ONE THING. I DID FINALLY FEATHER AFTER ROLLOUT AND WHEN CLRING THE RWY. I TAXIED TO PARKING AT THE FAR END OF THE FIELD TO OUR SCHOOL. LUCKILY TWR, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T KNOW I HAD A PROB, LET ME TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY PRIOR TO TURNING OFF.

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.

Left engine of an small aircraft twin quit on final due to fuel starvation during a multi engine training flight.