Small aircraft runs out of fuel on night flight. Emergency landing at airport.

Attributes
ACN	205053
Time
Date	199203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	205053
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The morning of mar/wed/92, I preflted small aircraft for a flight to bullhead city, az with a stop at lake havasu, az. The fuel in the left tank was at the tab, and the right tank was about an inch below the tab. The fuel gauges agreed with the visual inspection of the tanks. I calculated 35 gallons of fuel to be on board or a little more than 4 hours of flight time available. I calculated the trip would take 3 1/2 hours. When I was returning the phoenix sky harbor, the engine failed at 2100 MSL, about 1 mi north of the airport. I declared a mayday and landed on runway 8L. The tach time was 3.4 hours. The left fuel gauge read a little more than 1/4 full. The right fuel gauge read zero. The fuel gauges agreed with my calculations and I did not realize the engine failure was due to fuel starvation until after I landed and dipped the tanks. I feel that my calculation of the amount of fuel on board was wrong. This, coupled with an erroneous fuel gauge, caused me to run out of fuel. Lesson learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RUNS OUT OF FUEL ON NIGHT FLT. EMER LNDG AT ARPT.

Narrative: THE MORNING OF MAR/WED/92, I PREFLTED SMA FOR A FLT TO BULLHEAD CITY, AZ WITH A STOP AT LAKE HAVASU, AZ. THE FUEL IN THE L TANK WAS AT THE TAB, AND THE R TANK WAS ABOUT AN INCH BELOW THE TAB. THE FUEL GAUGES AGREED WITH THE VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TANKS. I CALCULATED 35 GALLONS OF FUEL TO BE ON BOARD OR A LITTLE MORE THAN 4 HOURS OF FLT TIME AVAILABLE. I CALCULATED THE TRIP WOULD TAKE 3 1/2 HRS. WHEN I WAS RETURNING THE PHOENIX SKY HARBOR, THE ENG FAILED AT 2100 MSL, ABOUT 1 MI N OF THE ARPT. I DECLARED A MAYDAY AND LANDED ON RWY 8L. THE TACH TIME WAS 3.4 HRS. THE L FUEL GAUGE READ A LITTLE MORE THAN 1/4 FULL. THE R FUEL GAUGE READ ZERO. THE FUEL GAUGES AGREED WITH MY CALCULATIONS AND I DID NOT REALIZE THE ENG FAILURE WAS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION UNTIL AFTER I LANDED AND DIPPED THE TANKS. I FEEL THAT MY CALCULATION OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD WAS WRONG. THIS, COUPLED WITH AN ERRONEOUS FUEL GAUGE, CAUSED ME TO RUN OUT OF FUEL. LESSON LEARNED.

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.