Narrative:

My CFI and I were flying the cessna T210L. We took off for an ILS approach on runway xy; then cancelled IFR to conduct traffic pattern work. I am in training for my CFI; therefore occupying the right seat; pretending to be the instructor conducting demonstration-performance for the traffic pattern VFR approach procedure. I did 3 landings with no issues; and after that we did positive change of controls; so he could play the role of the student flying and I would be the instructor; talking him through. It was a touch and go; and he did the landing; and subsequent takeoff roll with no issues. During the initial climb; at about 200 feet AGL the engine quit running. He was already flying so he did the landing straight ahead. I offered flaps; so we landed with flaps. The landing was made within the runway pavement. One runway light was broken. The main landing gear tires went bald due to the heavy braking. There were no other damages; nor injuries. Emergency personnel came to the site and assisted with removing the airplane out of the runway and checking on me and [my CFI]. We had no injuries.at the time we weren't positive on what caused the engine to fail. As soon as the airplane was brought back to the hangar; one of the mechanics started the engine and it ran. The mechanic then told us he would drain the tanks on the next [week].so; I received a text message from [my CFI] saying the mechanic drained the tanks and found no fuel on the left tank. On a phone call with the mechanic; I learned that the last person who flew the airplane did not refuel it because the FBO which does the refueling was closed. There were no notes or communication regarding that. As per club policy; every pilot must get the airplane refueled after each flight and annotate the amount of fuel in the airplane logbook. The reason [my CFI] and I didn't have any information that the airplane wasn't refueled was because the annotation was on the last line of the sheet which was detached from the logbook; as they are every calendar month for accounting purposes. [My CFI] and I started our flight on a brand new log sheet with no previous information about the airplane. I conducted my preflight inspection as I do every time with the C210; specifically the fuel check. There is a small ladder to climb; not tall enough to enable me to see the fuel tank opening from above (a visual inspection looking to the fuel tank opening from above is the ideal way to visually check for fuel quantity inside the tanks. There was no plastic tank fuel gauge stick available). I used my tactical sense (I put my finger inside the tank to feel the fuel); and I double checked with the fuel gauges; which were indicating full. With that I had no doubt we had fuel in the airplane. [My CFI] was not present at the time I did my preflight; but I told him how I did my preflight and my findings; to include fuel check. He accepted it; and we went flying. [My CFI] and I did not brief ourselves in who would be the PIC; as I had the assumption he was the PIC; since he was the CFI and the one allowed to fly the C T210L as per flying club policies; (I am not allowed to schedule the C T210L myself as I have not met all the training requirements yet); and he thought I was the PIC because I have more flight hours than he does. This event was an extremely sobering experience for me. I have always been a safety oriented pilot; but this experience has driven home to me the significance of visual; accurate and positive fuel inspection on preflight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI student pilot and instructor reported an engine failure during landing practice. Post flight analysis revealed that one tank had no fuel.

Narrative: My CFI and I were flying the Cessna T210L. We took off for an ILS approach on Runway XY; then cancelled IFR to conduct traffic pattern work. I am in training for my CFI; therefore occupying the right seat; pretending to be the instructor conducting demonstration-performance for the traffic pattern VFR approach procedure. I did 3 landings with no issues; and after that we did positive change of controls; so he could play the role of the student flying and I would be the instructor; talking him through. It was a touch and go; and he did the landing; and subsequent takeoff roll with no issues. During the initial climb; at about 200 feet AGL the engine quit running. He was already flying so he did the landing straight ahead. I offered flaps; so we landed with flaps. The landing was made within the runway pavement. One runway light was broken. The main landing gear tires went bald due to the heavy braking. There were no other damages; nor injuries. Emergency personnel came to the site and assisted with removing the airplane out of the runway and checking on me and [my CFI]. We had no injuries.At the time we weren't positive on what caused the engine to fail. As soon as the airplane was brought back to the hangar; one of the mechanics started the engine and it ran. The mechanic then told us he would drain the tanks on the next [week].So; I received a text message from [my CFI] saying the mechanic drained the tanks and found no fuel on the left tank. On a phone call with the mechanic; I learned that the last person who flew the airplane did not refuel it because the FBO which does the refueling was closed. There were no notes or communication regarding that. As per club policy; every pilot must get the airplane refueled after each flight and annotate the amount of fuel in the airplane logbook. The reason [my CFI] and I didn't have any information that the airplane wasn't refueled was because the annotation was on the last line of the sheet which was detached from the logbook; as they are every calendar month for accounting purposes. [My CFI] and I started our flight on a brand new log sheet with no previous information about the airplane. I conducted my preflight inspection as I do every time with the C210; specifically the fuel check. There is a small ladder to climb; not tall enough to enable me to see the fuel tank opening from above (a visual inspection looking to the fuel tank opening from above is the ideal way to visually check for fuel quantity inside the tanks. There was no plastic tank fuel gauge stick available). I used my tactical sense (I put my finger inside the tank to feel the fuel); and I double checked with the fuel gauges; which were indicating full. With that I had no doubt we had fuel in the airplane. [My CFI] was not present at the time I did my preflight; but I told him how I did my preflight and my findings; to include fuel check. He accepted it; and we went flying. [My CFI] and I did not brief ourselves in who would be the PIC; as I had the assumption he was the PIC; since he was the CFI and the one allowed to fly the C T210L as per flying club policies; (I am not allowed to schedule the C T210L myself as I have not met all the training requirements yet); and he thought I was the PIC because I have more flight hours than he does. This event was an extremely sobering experience for me. I have always been a safety oriented pilot; but this experience has driven home to me the significance of visual; accurate and positive fuel inspection on preflight.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.