C152 pilot departed on a pleasure flight; believing the aircraft fuel quantity to be sufficient. Upo...

Attributes
ACN	784201
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 125 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	784201
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I departed pao airport for a leisure flight. During the preflight inspection; I checked the fuel levels visually since I couldn't find the dipstick inside the plane. The fuel inside the tanks was visible right away. It was down from the top about 1 1/2 inches in both tanks. I then checked the fuel indicators and they were pointing 3/4 each. I calculate that if the plane takes 26 gallons; it should have had 9.5 gallons in each wing. I then calculated that if I was going to be flying for 2 hours that would have taken me 12 gallons plus 1 gallon of the ground operations. So 13 gallons plus 2.5 gallons of unusable fuel -- that's 15.5 gallons out of 19 gallons. I thought the plane had another 3.5 gallons of usable fuel. I checked the fuel levels in all phases of flight; and at the end of the flight the needles were pointing a little less than 1/4 in each tank -- just before I shut the plane down. When the fuel truck filled the plane up it took 22.5 gallons of gas to top it off; which left me with only 2 gallons left of usable fuel; less than the legal minimum. I will never take off again without knowing the exact amount of fuel in each wing; and if I had no way of knowing that amount; I will make sure the tanks are topped off before departure. I will also never rely on the fuel gauges. They are unreliable and should never be used to calculate how much fuel is onboard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT DEPARTED ON A PLEASURE FLT; BELIEVING THE ACFT FUEL QUANTITY TO BE SUFFICIENT. UPON RETURNING; THE ACFT WAS FUELED AND THE PLT REALIZED THAT HE HAD ONLY 2 GAL OF USABLE FUEL REMAINING AT SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: I DEPARTED PAO ARPT FOR A LEISURE FLT. DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION; I CHKED THE FUEL LEVELS VISUALLY SINCE I COULDN'T FIND THE DIPSTICK INSIDE THE PLANE. THE FUEL INSIDE THE TANKS WAS VISIBLE RIGHT AWAY. IT WAS DOWN FROM THE TOP ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES IN BOTH TANKS. I THEN CHKED THE FUEL INDICATORS AND THEY WERE POINTING 3/4 EACH. I CALCULATE THAT IF THE PLANE TAKES 26 GALLONS; IT SHOULD HAVE HAD 9.5 GALLONS IN EACH WING. I THEN CALCULATED THAT IF I WAS GOING TO BE FLYING FOR 2 HRS THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN ME 12 GALLONS PLUS 1 GALLON OF THE GND OPS. SO 13 GALLONS PLUS 2.5 GALLONS OF UNUSABLE FUEL -- THAT'S 15.5 GALLONS OUT OF 19 GALLONS. I THOUGHT THE PLANE HAD ANOTHER 3.5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. I CHKED THE FUEL LEVELS IN ALL PHASES OF FLT; AND AT THE END OF THE FLT THE NEEDLES WERE POINTING A LITTLE LESS THAN 1/4 IN EACH TANK -- JUST BEFORE I SHUT THE PLANE DOWN. WHEN THE FUEL TRUCK FILLED THE PLANE UP IT TOOK 22.5 GALLONS OF GAS TO TOP IT OFF; WHICH LEFT ME WITH ONLY 2 GALLONS LEFT OF USABLE FUEL; LESS THAN THE LEGAL MINIMUM. I WILL NEVER TAKE OFF AGAIN WITHOUT KNOWING THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN EACH WING; AND IF I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT AMOUNT; I WILL MAKE SURE THE TANKS ARE TOPPED OFF BEFORE DEP. I WILL ALSO NEVER RELY ON THE FUEL GAUGES. THEY ARE UNRELIABLE AND SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH FUEL IS ONBOARD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

C152 pilot departed on a pleasure flight; believing the aircraft fuel quantity to be sufficient. Upon returning; the aircraft was fueled and the pilot realized that he had only 2 gal of usable fuel remaining at shutdown.