PA28 pilot reports engine failure during approach due to fuel starvation. A successful dead stick la...

Attributes
ACN	1108637
Time
Date	201308
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Fuel Tank
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 80 Flight Crew Total 2050 Flight Crew Type 25
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue

Narrative:

After flight planning at the departure location; I calculated (based upon forecasted winds aloft) returning to base with 10 gallons [of fuel] which gives over 1 hour of orbiting fuel if necessary. However; as I was on approach; with the engine feeding from the right tank; as I was maneuvering for final; the engine lost power. I immediately switched tanks to the left tank. The electric fuel pump was already on so I swapped tanks and monitored the fuel pressure. The pressure rose momentarily and immediately dropped to zero. After informing other aircraft in the pattern; I proceeded to make a dead stick landing and was able to taxi clear of the runway. I could not get the engine to restart and was towed to the refueling location. After I refueled the aircraft to the tabs; the left tank took 13 gallons and the right took 14 gallons. The approximate gallon quantity to the tabs is 17 gallons. I was able to restart the engine and taxied to parking and secured the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 pilot reports engine failure during approach due to fuel starvation. A successful dead stick landing ensues.

Narrative: After flight planning at the departure location; I calculated (based upon forecasted winds aloft) returning to base with 10 gallons [of fuel] which gives over 1 hour of orbiting fuel if necessary. However; as I was on approach; with the engine feeding from the right tank; as I was maneuvering for final; the engine lost power. I immediately switched tanks to the left tank. The electric fuel pump was already on so I swapped tanks and monitored the fuel pressure. The pressure rose momentarily and immediately dropped to zero. After informing other aircraft in the pattern; I proceeded to make a dead stick landing and was able to taxi clear of the runway. I could not get the engine to restart and was towed to the refueling location. After I refueled the aircraft to the tabs; the left tank took 13 gallons and the right took 14 gallons. The approximate gallon quantity to the tabs is 17 gallons. I was able to restart the engine and taxied to parking and secured the aircraft.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.