Instructor with spi runs out of fuel. Emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	213922
Time
Date	199206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tdf
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 890 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	213922
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
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:

Instructor (me) asked student to preflight unsupervised. Upon arrival at the aircraft, instructor queried student if the fuel quantity was checked. The student replied yes. No reference was made as to the quantity of fuel in the tank, but rather just that it had been 'checked.' the instructor (me) assumed this meant that there was enough fuel for the planned 1 hour flight (local). After 45 min of flight during maneuvers. The engine began to slowly lose power. I called rdu approach and asked for vectors to tdf which soon came in view approximately 4 NM straight ahead. Initially, tried to glide to airport, but quickly decided making it would be impossible. At this point, engine quit completely (mags, mixture, carburetor heat check had no effect). Field that was used for landing was spotted when at 1100 AGL -- uneventful power-off landing followed -- no damage to aircraft or pilots occurred. Lesson: instructors always should ascertain the exact fuel quantity before any flight with any (regardless of experience) pilot. I usually check the club usage log to see how many hours had been burned since the last fill-up -- but this sheet was not in aircraft for this flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH SPI RUNS OUT OF FUEL. EMER LNDG.

Narrative: INSTRUCTOR (ME) ASKED STUDENT TO PREFLT UNSUPERVISED. UPON ARR AT THE ACFT, INSTRUCTOR QUERIED STUDENT IF THE FUEL QUANTITY WAS CHKED. THE STUDENT REPLIED YES. NO REF WAS MADE AS TO THE QUANTITY OF FUEL IN THE TANK, BUT RATHER JUST THAT IT HAD BEEN 'CHKED.' THE INSTRUCTOR (ME) ASSUMED THIS MEANT THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE PLANNED 1 HR FLT (LCL). AFTER 45 MIN OF FLT DURING MANEUVERS. THE ENG BEGAN TO SLOWLY LOSE PWR. I CALLED RDU APCH AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO TDF WHICH SOON CAME IN VIEW APPROX 4 NM STRAIGHT AHEAD. INITIALLY, TRIED TO GLIDE TO ARPT, BUT QUICKLY DECIDED MAKING IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. AT THIS POINT, ENG QUIT COMPLETELY (MAGS, MIXTURE, CARB HEAT CHK HAD NO EFFECT). FIELD THAT WAS USED FOR LNDG WAS SPOTTED WHEN AT 1100 AGL -- UNEVENTFUL PWR-OFF LNDG FOLLOWED -- NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PLTS OCCURRED. LESSON: INSTRUCTORS ALWAYS SHOULD ASCERTAIN THE EXACT FUEL QUANTITY BEFORE ANY FLT WITH ANY (REGARDLESS OF EXPERIENCE) PLT. I USUALLY CHK THE CLUB USAGE LOG TO SEE HOW MANY HRS HAD BEEN BURNED SINCE THE LAST FILL-UP -- BUT THIS SHEET WAS NOT IN ACFT FOR THIS FLT.

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.