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|
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.