Forced landing due to fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	128915
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sff
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sff tracon : pdx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	128915
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft had extensive maintenance accomplished/completed within last 10 days. Fuel gauges appeared in error so fuel cells were sight checked. Both mains appeared 1/2 full and both auxiliary tanks appeared 3/4 full. Fuel gauges for both mains showed full when selector placed in main positions. Push to check buttons indicated approximately the same as by sight. The aircraft had been flown approximately 2 hours previously and had not been refueled. Takeoff was accomplished using the right main tank then switched to right auxiliary for approximately .7 hours. Upon return to felts field, spokane, wa, the left main was selected because the gauges showed that to be the 'fullest main' by prelndg checklist instructions. Traffic pattern was entered as per tower instructions. Checklist completed and turn to final initiated. On short final the engine quit rather abruptly and landing was made on grassy area between parallel runways. No damage or injury. After the aircraft came to a stop tanks were again sight checked, left main bone dry! So much for fuel gauges! Under the conditions above the student pilot's reactions to switch tanks, assure fuel pump on, avoid buildings and runway/taxiway lights, maintain airspeed and make a nearly perfect landing, were exemplary. I have no suggestion as to how to prevent the recurrence other than to top all tanks before departure. However, that would make the aircraft over gross weight if all seats were full!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FORCED LNDG DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: ACFT HAD EXTENSIVE MAINT ACCOMPLISHED/COMPLETED WITHIN LAST 10 DAYS. FUEL GAUGES APPEARED IN ERROR SO FUEL CELLS WERE SIGHT CHECKED. BOTH MAINS APPEARED 1/2 FULL AND BOTH AUX TANKS APPEARED 3/4 FULL. FUEL GAUGES FOR BOTH MAINS SHOWED FULL WHEN SELECTOR PLACED IN MAIN POSITIONS. PUSH TO CHECK BUTTONS INDICATED APPROX THE SAME AS BY SIGHT. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN APPROX 2 HRS PREVIOUSLY AND HAD NOT BEEN REFUELED. TKOF WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING THE RIGHT MAIN TANK THEN SWITCHED TO RIGHT AUX FOR APPROX .7 HRS. UPON RETURN TO FELTS FIELD, SPOKANE, WA, THE LEFT MAIN WAS SELECTED BECAUSE THE GAUGES SHOWED THAT TO BE THE 'FULLEST MAIN' BY PRELNDG CHECKLIST INSTRUCTIONS. TFC PATTERN WAS ENTERED AS PER TWR INSTRUCTIONS. CHECKLIST COMPLETED AND TURN TO FINAL INITIATED. ON SHORT FINAL THE ENGINE QUIT RATHER ABRUPTLY AND LNDG WAS MADE ON GRASSY AREA BETWEEN PARALLEL RWYS. NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. AFTER THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP TANKS WERE AGAIN SIGHT CHECKED, LEFT MAIN BONE DRY! SO MUCH FOR FUEL GAUGES! UNDER THE CONDITIONS ABOVE THE STUDENT PLT'S REACTIONS TO SWITCH TANKS, ASSURE FUEL PUMP ON, AVOID BUILDINGS AND RWY/TXWY LIGHTS, MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND MAKE A NEARLY PERFECT LNDG, WERE EXEMPLARY. I HAVE NO SUGGESTION AS TO HOW TO PREVENT THE RECURRENCE OTHER THAN TO TOP ALL TANKS BEFORE DEP. HOWEVER, THAT WOULD MAKE THE ACFT OVER GROSS WEIGHT IF ALL SEATS WERE FULL!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.