Small aircraft pilot ran out of gas in 1 wing tank and had only 4 gals of fuel in the other tank.

Attributes
ACN	476911
Time
Date	200006
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : flo.vortac
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ns.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	476911
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other other : fuel truck operator
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Maintenance was performed on aircraft after refueling 3 days previously. Mechanic stated that aircraft was run up for several mins (maybe 1/2 hour all total). Prior to flight, I asked fuel truck to top off. I did not visually check for fuel before departing. About 3 hours 10 mins after takeoff, ran out of gas in the tank I was using. I switched tanks and the engine restarted with no problem. I was almost directly over airport, so I landed with no problem. I had 4 gals (25 mins) remaining. I am confident that I did not have full tanks when I departed, and that I would have made my destination airport comfortably if I had had full fuel. I should have checked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RAN OUT OF GAS IN 1 WING TANK AND HAD ONLY 4 GALS OF FUEL IN THE OTHER TANK.

Narrative: MAINT WAS PERFORMED ON ACFT AFTER REFUELING 3 DAYS PREVIOUSLY. MECH STATED THAT ACFT WAS RUN UP FOR SEVERAL MINS (MAYBE 1/2 HR ALL TOTAL). PRIOR TO FLT, I ASKED FUEL TRUCK TO TOP OFF. I DID NOT VISUALLY CHK FOR FUEL BEFORE DEPARTING. ABOUT 3 HRS 10 MINS AFTER TKOF, RAN OUT OF GAS IN THE TANK I WAS USING. I SWITCHED TANKS AND THE ENG RESTARTED WITH NO PROB. I WAS ALMOST DIRECTLY OVER ARPT, SO I LANDED WITH NO PROB. I HAD 4 GALS (25 MINS) REMAINING. I AM CONFIDENT THAT I DID NOT HAVE FULL TANKS WHEN I DEPARTED, AND THAT I WOULD HAVE MADE MY DEST ARPT COMFORTABLY IF I HAD HAD FULL FUEL. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED.

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.