Narrative:

I was flying with an instructor, on my instruction routing (at a practice area close to hgr airport). I noticed the one fuel tank was low, so I switched tanks. The other tank had approximately 18 gallons (1 1/2 hours for my craft). The lesson was over. We were going into hgr. The engine started to miss intermittently. I then switched tanks to the tank that was low in fuel. The engine for some reason came back to life. About 2 mins later the engine started firing intermittently again. I had the field in sight and had lots of altitude to make a safe landing. I asked the controller for runway 09 and told him I had a fuel problem. We made a safe landing but the engine stopped. We pushed the plane to the ramp and got fuel. One tank was empty, the other had approximately 9 gallons, remaining. I checked the sumps and did find some water. Also the intercom didn't work momentarily. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter states that no one has yet fully determined what happened. There was no damage or injury. The engine ran perfectly when on the ground, and has done so since. There was plenty of fuel in one of the tanks. The reporter did not use the electrical boost pump when he switched tanks, but he does now! There is the possibility that the reporter had not switched the valve fully into the detent. There has been no further action by the FAA. The tower crew gave excellent help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD RAN A FUEL TANK DRY. THE OTHER TANK DID NOT SUPPLY FUEL. THE ACFT LANDED ON AN ARPT SAFELY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR, ON MY INSTRUCTION RTING (AT A PRACTICE AREA CLOSE TO HGR ARPT). I NOTICED THE ONE FUEL TANK WAS LOW, SO I SWITCHED TANKS. THE OTHER TANK HAD APPROX 18 GALLONS (1 1/2 HRS FOR MY CRAFT). THE LESSON WAS OVER. WE WERE GOING INTO HGR. THE ENG STARTED TO MISS INTERMITTENTLY. I THEN SWITCHED TANKS TO THE TANK THAT WAS LOW IN FUEL. THE ENG FOR SOME REASON CAME BACK TO LIFE. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER THE ENG STARTED FIRING INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN. I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND HAD LOTS OF ALT TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG. I ASKED THE CTLR FOR RWY 09 AND TOLD HIM I HAD A FUEL PROBLEM. WE MADE A SAFE LNDG BUT THE ENG STOPPED. WE PUSHED THE PLANE TO THE RAMP AND GOT FUEL. ONE TANK WAS EMPTY, THE OTHER HAD APPROX 9 GALLONS, REMAINING. I CHKED THE SUMPS AND DID FIND SOME WATER. ALSO THE INTERCOM DIDN'T WORK MOMENTARILY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR STATES THAT NO ONE HAS YET FULLY DETERMINED WHAT HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. THE ENG RAN PERFECTLY WHEN ON THE GND, AND HAS DONE SO SINCE. THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL IN ONE OF THE TANKS. THE RPTR DID NOT USE THE ELECTRICAL BOOST PUMP WHEN HE SWITCHED TANKS, BUT HE DOES NOW! THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE RPTR HAD NOT SWITCHED THE VALVE FULLY INTO THE DETENT. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER ACTION BY THE FAA. THE TWR CREW GAVE EXCELLENT HELP.

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.