Narrative:

We departed dfw en route to gpt, this to be a refueling stop and continue on to tpa. I was only accompanying a fellow pilot on this trip in order to help him load some equipment on the aircraft. Before departing dfw I had called in the flight plan, using my name as the pilot. Approximately 25 mins west of gpt I noticed the fuel gauges acting sporadic (1/2 tank to less than 1/4). I asked the pilot had he noticed the same thing. His reply was yes. I quickly did a fuel burn and elapsed time problem and saw we had less fuel than expected. I immediately suggested we land short of our destination. As we scanned the map for an airport the right engine started to sputter. I took over the controls from my right seat position and switched to the outboard tanks. The engine continued to run, however I wasn't sure for how much longer. I requested vectors from ARTCC to the closest airport and priority should other aircraft be in the pattern. This airport was 0r9. I explained to the controller that I had a rough running engine and might have to make a single engine approach. I accepted an ILS to runway 18. The landing was uneventful and I taxied to the ramp under my own power. I didn't request any rescue equipment to be dispatched, however a fire truck was sent to my aid. 0r9 is a unicom only airport and I cancelled my IFR flight plan with FSS. We hadn't declared emergency so no other notification was done. A review of our route and fuel flow was done and there wasn't as much fuel on board as we had originally thought. I should have not filed the flight plan under my name because I wasn't the PIC. Lack of proper communication between myself and the pilot while we were in dfw led me to assuming more fuel was on board than was actually there.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTS DISCOVER THAT THEY HAVE INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO FLY ALL THE WAY TO THEIR DESTINATION AND MAKE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ABOUT 73 SHORT OF DESTINATION.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED DFW ENRTE TO GPT, THIS TO BE A REFUELING STOP AND CONTINUE ON TO TPA. I WAS ONLY ACCOMPANYING A FELLOW PLT ON THIS TRIP IN ORDER TO HELP HIM LOAD SOME EQUIP ON THE ACFT. BEFORE DEPARTING DFW I HAD CALLED IN THE FLT PLAN, USING MY NAME AS THE PLT. APPROX 25 MINS W OF GPT I NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGES ACTING SPORADIC (1/2 TANK TO LESS THAN 1/4). I ASKED THE PLT HAD HE NOTICED THE SAME THING. HIS REPLY WAS YES. I QUICKLY DID A FUEL BURN AND ELAPSED TIME PROB AND SAW WE HAD LESS FUEL THAN EXPECTED. I IMMEDIATELY SUGGESTED WE LAND SHORT OF OUR DEST. AS WE SCANNED THE MAP FOR AN ARPT THE RIGHT ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER. I TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS FROM MY RIGHT SEAT POS AND SWITCHED TO THE OUTBOARD TANKS. THE ENG CONTINUED TO RUN, HOWEVER I WASN'T SURE FOR HOW MUCH LONGER. I REQUESTED VECTORS FROM ARTCC TO THE CLOSEST ARPT AND PRIORITY SHOULD OTHER ACFT BE IN THE PATTERN. THIS ARPT WAS 0R9. I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR THAT I HAD A ROUGH RUNNING ENG AND MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE A SINGLE ENG APCH. I ACCEPTED AN ILS TO RWY 18. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND I TAXIED TO THE RAMP UNDER MY OWN PWR. I DIDN'T REQUEST ANY RESCUE EQUIP TO BE DISPATCHED, HOWEVER A FIRE TRUCK WAS SENT TO MY AID. 0R9 IS A UNICOM ONLY ARPT AND I CANCELLED MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS. WE HADN'T DECLARED EMER SO NO OTHER NOTIFICATION WAS DONE. A REVIEW OF OUR ROUTE AND FUEL FLOW WAS DONE AND THERE WASN'T AS MUCH FUEL ON BOARD AS WE HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. I SHOULD HAVE NOT FILED THE FLT PLAN UNDER MY NAME BECAUSE I WASN'T THE PIC. LACK OF PROPER COM BTWN MYSELF AND THE PLT WHILE WE WERE IN DFW LED ME TO ASSUMING MORE FUEL WAS ON BOARD THAN WAS ACTUALLY THERE.

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