An small aircraft pilot ran out of fuel over the end of the runway.

Attributes
ACN	227409
Time
Date	199211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gso
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 87 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	227409
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In my flight from smoketown, PA (37PA) to greensboro, nc, I had an incident about 4 mi northeast of gso. While being vectored to a downwind for landing, the engine began to fail. At this point I declared an emergency and was given priority clearance to land. After landing safely on runway 23 I was able to taxi clear of the active runway. Later I determined the small aircraft had used all 26 gallons of fuel on board. The time of the flight was 3:26 and that works out to be 7.6 gph. The aircraft is a rental plane and is also the same one I used for my xcountries to receive my private pilot certificate. The flight plan was calculated using 5.5 gph as I always did. 5.5 gph would have left me with a 30 min plus reserve to comply with VFR legal limits. The aircraft received a new engine the day before my trip which may account for the excess fuel burn. Also, the right fuel gauge did not work and the left one was inaccurate. According to the owner's manual for this small aircraft, a flight at 4500 ft at 2500 RPM with a lean mixture should burn 4.5 gph. Following the data in the manual could put other pilots in the same situation as I was. I do not feel that this incident was due to neglect on my part. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting pilot filled the tanks himself before departure. Other people have looked at the engine and have not found any reason for the high fuel usage. There is no apparent fuel leak. The FAA has sent him a letter announcing that this incident is being investigated and have suggested that he might be asked to take remedial training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT RAN OUT OF FUEL OVER THE END OF THE RWY.

Narrative: IN MY FLT FROM SMOKETOWN, PA (37PA) TO GREENSBORO, NC, I HAD AN INCIDENT ABOUT 4 MI NE OF GSO. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO A DOWNWIND FOR LNDG, THE ENG BEGAN TO FAIL. AT THIS POINT I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS GIVEN PRIORITY CLRNC TO LAND. AFTER LNDG SAFELY ON RWY 23 I WAS ABLE TO TAXI CLR OF THE ACTIVE RWY. LATER I DETERMINED THE SMA HAD USED ALL 26 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE TIME OF THE FLT WAS 3:26 AND THAT WORKS OUT TO BE 7.6 GPH. THE ACFT IS A RENTAL PLANE AND IS ALSO THE SAME ONE I USED FOR MY XCOUNTRIES TO RECEIVE MY PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE. THE FLT PLAN WAS CALCULATED USING 5.5 GPH AS I ALWAYS DID. 5.5 GPH WOULD HAVE LEFT ME WITH A 30 MIN PLUS RESERVE TO COMPLY WITH VFR LEGAL LIMITS. THE ACFT RECEIVED A NEW ENG THE DAY BEFORE MY TRIP WHICH MAY ACCOUNT FOR THE EXCESS FUEL BURN. ALSO, THE R FUEL GAUGE DID NOT WORK AND THE L ONE WAS INACCURATE. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THIS SMA, A FLT AT 4500 FT AT 2500 RPM WITH A LEAN MIXTURE SHOULD BURN 4.5 GPH. FOLLOWING THE DATA IN THE MANUAL COULD PUT OTHER PLTS IN THE SAME SITUATION AS I WAS. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO NEGLECT ON MY PART. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING PLT FILLED THE TANKS HIMSELF BEFORE DEP. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED AT THE ENG AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANY REASON FOR THE HIGH FUEL USAGE. THERE IS NO APPARENT FUEL LEAK. THE FAA HAS SENT HIM A LETTER ANNOUNCING THAT THIS INCIDENT IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND HAVE SUGGESTED THAT HE MIGHT BE ASKED TO TAKE REMEDIAL TRAINING.

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.