Improper preflight causes small aircraft to almost run out of gas.

Attributes
ACN	238217
Time
Date	199304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orl
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
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	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 575 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	238217
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Almost (but not quite) ran out of fuel in club owned small aircraft. Contributing factors: 1) previous pilot failed to refuel per club rules. 2) pilot 'finger' checked fuel quantity. Did not visually check. Handicap prevented climbing on aircraft step. 3) pilot estimated fuel burn at 3.2 hours tach time to be 26 gallons at 8 gph. 4) pilot did not trust fuel gauges and estimated remaining fuel to be about 10 gallons. 5) upon returning to orl tie-down the fuel truck pumped in 39.5 gallons. Estimated flight time remaining: 6 mins. Lessons learned: 1) pilot bought short step ladder for visual fuel check. 2) calculate fuel burn on hobbs time, not tach time. 3) pilot should have relied on 'worst' indicator, i.e., the fuel gauges. 4) if unable to refuel, prior pilot should leave a note in aircraft: 'aircraft not refueled.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER PREFLT CAUSES SMA TO ALMOST RUN OUT OF GAS.

Narrative: ALMOST (BUT NOT QUITE) RAN OUT OF FUEL IN CLUB OWNED SMA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) PREVIOUS PLT FAILED TO REFUEL PER CLUB RULES. 2) PLT 'FINGER' CHKED FUEL QUANTITY. DID NOT VISUALLY CHK. HANDICAP PREVENTED CLBING ON ACFT STEP. 3) PLT ESTIMATED FUEL BURN AT 3.2 HRS TACH TIME TO BE 26 GALLONS AT 8 GPH. 4) PLT DID NOT TRUST FUEL GAUGES AND ESTIMATED REMAINING FUEL TO BE ABOUT 10 GALLONS. 5) UPON RETURNING TO ORL TIE-DOWN THE FUEL TRUCK PUMPED IN 39.5 GALLONS. ESTIMATED FLT TIME REMAINING: 6 MINS. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) PLT BOUGHT SHORT STEP LADDER FOR VISUAL FUEL CHK. 2) CALCULATE FUEL BURN ON HOBBS TIME, NOT TACH TIME. 3) PLT SHOULD HAVE RELIED ON 'WORST' INDICATOR, I.E., THE FUEL GAUGES. 4) IF UNABLE TO REFUEL, PRIOR PLT SHOULD LEAVE A NOTE IN ACFT: 'ACFT NOT REFUELED.'

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.