Narrative:

A cross country flight was planned from monroe regional airport direct to goodwin airport, ar, (eld) overflt, direct to texarkana, ar, for a touch-and-go direct to shreveport regional, la, for a touch-and-go, then direct to monroe regional for termination. Planned altitudes were 4500 ft MSL to texarkana, and 3500 ft MSL for the easterly legs. Total distance for the flight was 270 NM with a planned time of 3 hours en route as filed with the FSS. Fuel on board was listed as 4 hours based upon 22.5 gallons of usable fuel and the planned average consumption rate of 5.5 gallons per hour. Total fuel used on this flight, according to small aircraft charts should have been 16.1 gallons, leaving a fuel reserve of 6.4 gallons usable fuel, a conservative reserve of over 1 hour, sufficient for day or night VFR fuel reserve requirements. (Fuel was visually checked and full for takeoff). In the descent to land at monroe, after approximately 3 hours and 5 mins flight time, the engine did not respond to throttle movement. I informed monroe tower of a suspected engine out landing and was cleared to land. The engine responded to throttle movement on short final and I landed taxied to parking and shut down. This problem arose due to over reliance on manufacturer's performance numbers for aging aircraft. Since I had no data base on the fuel consumption for this particular aircraft, I relied on handbook numbers. I have advised other instructors of my experience and notified FBO management.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL STARVATION, NEAR EXHAUSTION CAUSES GA CFI TO DECLARE AN EMER TO TWR ON APCH TO LNDG.

Narrative: A XCOUNTRY FLT WAS PLANNED FROM MONROE REGIONAL ARPT DIRECT TO GOODWIN ARPT, AR, (ELD) OVERFLT, DIRECT TO TEXARKANA, AR, FOR A TOUCH-AND-GO DIRECT TO SHREVEPORT REGIONAL, LA, FOR A TOUCH-AND-GO, THEN DIRECT TO MONROE REGIONAL FOR TERMINATION. PLANNED ALTS WERE 4500 FT MSL TO TEXARKANA, AND 3500 FT MSL FOR THE EASTERLY LEGS. TOTAL DISTANCE FOR THE FLT WAS 270 NM WITH A PLANNED TIME OF 3 HRS ENRTE AS FILED WITH THE FSS. FUEL ON BOARD WAS LISTED AS 4 HRS BASED UPON 22.5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL AND THE PLANNED AVERAGE CONSUMPTION RATE OF 5.5 GALLONS PER HR. TOTAL FUEL USED ON THIS FLT, ACCORDING TO SMA CHARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN 16.1 GALLONS, LEAVING A FUEL RESERVE OF 6.4 GALLONS USABLE FUEL, A CONSERVATIVE RESERVE OF OVER 1 HR, SUFFICIENT FOR DAY OR NIGHT VFR FUEL RESERVE REQUIREMENTS. (FUEL WAS VISUALLY CHKED AND FULL FOR TKOF). IN THE DSCNT TO LAND AT MONROE, AFTER APPROX 3 HRS AND 5 MINS FLT TIME, THE ENG DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENT. I INFORMED MONROE TWR OF A SUSPECTED ENG OUT LNDG AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. THE ENG RESPONDED TO THROTTLE MOVEMENT ON SHORT FINAL AND I LANDED TAXIED TO PARKING AND SHUT DOWN. THIS PROBLEM AROSE DUE TO OVER RELIANCE ON MANUFACTURER'S PERFORMANCE NUMBERS FOR AGING ACFT. SINCE I HAD NO DATA BASE ON THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR ACFT, I RELIED ON HANDBOOK NUMBERS. I HAVE ADVISED OTHER INSTRUCTORS OF MY EXPERIENCE AND NOTIFIED FBO MGMNT.

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.