An instructor pilot ran out of fuel in his small aircraft and landed safely on an airport.

Attributes
ACN	240249
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : w28
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1200 agl bound upper : 1200
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 descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	240249
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We came back after flying for 2.9 hours and the engine quit at 1200 ft, about 4 mi from the airport. I glided straight in to W28 (potomac) airport and landed safely. Another plane just landed the other way and was just off the runway when I touched down (nobody was hurt). I did check the fuel which was right on the mark from the dipstick. This airplane has long range tanks so it will be too heavy with full tanks and can only be filled up to the mark which I thought was placed at 'standard tanks' (22.5 gallons) and should have given me 4 hours of flight. I practice dead stick lndgs with students all the time and will continue to do so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that he ran out of fuel. The aircraft has long range fuel tanks, but at the time had a fuel dipstick that was for an aircraft with normal fuel tanks. The reporter checked the fuel level using the wrong dipstick. This indicated that he had 4 hours of fuel, not the less than 3 hours that were actually on board. The reporter is concerned that the competition will find out about this situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT RAN OUT OF FUEL IN HIS SMA AND LANDED SAFELY ON AN ARPT.

Narrative: WE CAME BACK AFTER FLYING FOR 2.9 HRS AND THE ENG QUIT AT 1200 FT, ABOUT 4 MI FROM THE ARPT. I GLIDED STRAIGHT IN TO W28 (POTOMAC) ARPT AND LANDED SAFELY. ANOTHER PLANE JUST LANDED THE OTHER WAY AND WAS JUST OFF THE RWY WHEN I TOUCHED DOWN (NOBODY WAS HURT). I DID CHK THE FUEL WHICH WAS RIGHT ON THE MARK FROM THE DIPSTICK. THIS AIRPLANE HAS LONG RANGE TANKS SO IT WILL BE TOO HVY WITH FULL TANKS AND CAN ONLY BE FILLED UP TO THE MARK WHICH I THOUGHT WAS PLACED AT 'STANDARD TANKS' (22.5 GALLONS) AND SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME 4 HRS OF FLT. I PRACTICE DEAD STICK LNDGS WITH STUDENTS ALL THE TIME AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE ACFT HAS LONG RANGE FUEL TANKS, BUT AT THE TIME HAD A FUEL DIPSTICK THAT WAS FOR AN ACFT WITH NORMAL FUEL TANKS. THE RPTR CHKED THE FUEL LEVEL USING THE WRONG DIPSTICK. THIS INDICATED THAT HE HAD 4 HRS OF FUEL, NOT THE LESS THAN 3 HRS THAT WERE ACTUALLY ON BOARD. THE RPTR IS CONCERNED THAT THE COMPETITION WILL FIND OUT ABOUT THIS SIT.

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.