Instructor and spi run out of fuel on cross country flight.

Attributes
ACN	225763
Time
Date	199211
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hmt
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	225763
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Before departure, a visual check of the quantity of fuel was made. A judgement was made as to how much fuel was in the tanks. No measuring devices were used. Computations were made to determine fuel consumption for the taxi and runup, climb out, and en route segments of the flight. An additional fudge factor was added for safety purposes. After calculating, the determination was made that there would be enough fuel for the flight plus a 30 min reserve. On the return leg, the fuel indicated 1/2 full which agreed with our previous calculations. As the flight progressed the fuel indicators dropped considerably fast and as they approached between 1/4 and empty a decision was made to deviate to hemet ryan airport for fuel. Upon reaching the downwind leg, the engine sputtered and an emergency landing was successfully made with little or no power on the reciprocal end of the active runway. Reflecting back, poor judgement was made when checking the fuel quantity. Estimating fuel level based on an experienced guess was unwise and unsafe. Measuring devices are available and will be used when the fuel quantity is other than full. I am a safety conscientious person and pride myself in being very thorough when teaching my students. This has been an invaluable experience and I hope through your efforts other incidents like this one can be avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR AND SPI RUN OUT OF FUEL ON XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: BEFORE DEP, A VISUAL CHK OF THE QUANTITY OF FUEL WAS MADE. A JUDGEMENT WAS MADE AS TO HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE TANKS. NO MEASURING DEVICES WERE USED. COMPUTATIONS WERE MADE TO DETERMINE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE TAXI AND RUNUP, CLBOUT, AND ENRTE SEGMENTS OF THE FLT. AN ADDITIONAL FUDGE FACTOR WAS ADDED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. AFTER CALCULATING, THE DETERMINATION WAS MADE THAT THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT PLUS A 30 MIN RESERVE. ON THE RETURN LEG, THE FUEL INDICATED 1/2 FULL WHICH AGREED WITH OUR PREVIOUS CALCULATIONS. AS THE FLT PROGRESSED THE FUEL INDICATORS DROPPED CONSIDERABLY FAST AND AS THEY APCHED BTWN 1/4 AND EMPTY A DECISION WAS MADE TO DEVIATE TO HEMET RYAN ARPT FOR FUEL. UPON REACHING THE DOWNWIND LEG, THE ENG SPUTTERED AND AN EMER LNDG WAS SUCCESSFULLY MADE WITH LITTLE OR NO PWR ON THE RECIPROCAL END OF THE ACTIVE RWY. REFLECTING BACK, POOR JUDGEMENT WAS MADE WHEN CHKING THE FUEL QUANTITY. ESTIMATING FUEL LEVEL BASED ON AN EXPERIENCED GUESS WAS UNWISE AND UNSAFE. MEASURING DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE AND WILL BE USED WHEN THE FUEL QUANTITY IS OTHER THAN FULL. I AM A SAFETY CONSCIENTIOUS PERSON AND PRIDE MYSELF IN BEING VERY THOROUGH WHEN TEACHING MY STUDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND I HOPE THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS OTHER INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE CAN BE AVOIDED.

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.