Narrative:

Here is a description of what happened the other day resulting in my landing out of fuel. I flew a new lsa for display at the expo. The sistership was already there. These are almost identical aircraft. Both aircraft arrived with more than 2 hours fuel remaining. Company plans required the other pilot to take the aircraft I flew (#1) on to the factory and to leave the other aircraft (#2) at the expo with me. I placed a fuel order with FBO intending to fuel aircraft #2. Instead they fueled aircraft #1. The other pilot left the following day and I left for elsewhere. I witnessed the refueling of aircraft #1 (believing it to be aircraft #2). The following morning; I reset the engine monitoring system (EMS) fuel counter to 'full'. The location of the fuselage fuel filler does not allow for a visual inspection; and the fuel sight tube; located behind the seats; is difficult to read (clear fuel in a clear tube) and when full the fuel level is out of sight. Anticipating a full fuel indication; I looked at the top of the tube for confirmation (no visible fuel is the indication of a full tank). I did not inspect the lower portion of the tube which was probably reading a partial fuel situation. I did a thorough preflight; including removal of the engine cowling to add oil. I departed utilizing flight following; and decided to land for lunch. While being vectored to final; the engine gave signs of fuel starvation so I requested assistance from approach who vectored me to an uneventful landing at the airport. After refueling and with the approval of the airport operations director; I departed and landed at my night stop; where I spent the night thinking about what I had done wrong and how lucky I was.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LSA pilot departed in an aircraft he believed had been fueled to capacity and the design of the fuel sight gauge confirmed this. Enroute the engine shows signs of fuel starvation and the reporter was able to land safely at a nearby airport.

Narrative: Here is a description of what happened the other day resulting in my landing out of fuel. I flew a new LSA for display at the EXPO. The sistership was already there. These are almost identical aircraft. Both aircraft arrived with more than 2 hours fuel remaining. Company plans required the other pilot to take the aircraft I flew (#1) on to the factory and to leave the other aircraft (#2) at the EXPO with me. I placed a fuel order with FBO intending to fuel aircraft #2. Instead they fueled aircraft #1. The other pilot left the following day and I left for elsewhere. I witnessed the refueling of aircraft #1 (believing it to be aircraft #2). The following morning; I reset the Engine Monitoring System (EMS) fuel counter to 'FULL'. The location of the fuselage fuel filler does not allow for a visual inspection; and the fuel sight tube; located behind the seats; is difficult to read (clear fuel in a clear tube) and when full the fuel level is out of sight. Anticipating a full fuel indication; I looked at the top of the tube for confirmation (no visible fuel is the indication of a full tank). I did not inspect the lower portion of the tube which was probably reading a partial fuel situation. I did a thorough preflight; including removal of the engine cowling to add oil. I departed utilizing Flight Following; and decided to land for lunch. While being vectored to final; the engine gave signs of fuel starvation so I requested assistance from Approach who vectored me to an uneventful landing at the Airport. After refueling and with the approval of the Airport Operations Director; I departed and landed at my night stop; where I spent the night thinking about what I had done wrong and how lucky I was.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.