Small transport pilot has engine quit on initial climb. Returns to airport.

Attributes
ACN	244970
Time
Date	199306
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aiy
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	244970
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On this day I had flown teb-fmg-teb-bader field. Before leaving bader I noticed an apparent fuel imbal between the left and right main fuel tank indications (quantity). Left indicated over 30 gallons, right a bit over 10 gallons. Put 20 gallons in right tank. Took off to return to teb. During climb through 1500 ft, the left engine quit. I attempted a restart to no avail. I feathered the engine and barely made it back to bader. Later examination and analysis revealed that the left main tank was dry. Fuel quantity indicators were out of calibration even though they had recently been recalibrated. Nonetheless, I should have realized that: 1) had there been an imbal, airplane would have flown wing heavy but didn't. 2) I had been flying for 3 hours and couldn't possibly have that much fuel left in the left tank. 3) never switched from left main to auxiliary or xfeed where fuel was available. 4) never really had a problem. This was a major league foul up on my part because I trusted the fuel quantity gauges and not my common sense. From now on I will 'fly the clock' and monitor fuel consumption accordingly, visually check fuel quantity, learn about the fuel system in my airplane and proper fuel management procedures, think about the problem before acting, use my checklists. Don't create a bigger problem than already exists.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT HAS ENG QUIT ON INITIAL CLB. RETURNS TO ARPT.

Narrative: ON THIS DAY I HAD FLOWN TEB-FMG-TEB-BADER FIELD. BEFORE LEAVING BADER I NOTICED AN APPARENT FUEL IMBAL BTWN THE L AND R MAIN FUEL TANK INDICATIONS (QUANTITY). L INDICATED OVER 30 GALLONS, R A BIT OVER 10 GALLONS. PUT 20 GALLONS IN R TANK. TOOK OFF TO RETURN TO TEB. DURING CLB THROUGH 1500 FT, THE L ENG QUIT. I ATTEMPTED A RESTART TO NO AVAIL. I FEATHERED THE ENG AND BARELY MADE IT BACK TO BADER. LATER EXAMINATION AND ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE L MAIN TANK WAS DRY. FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WERE OUT OF CALIBRATION EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD RECENTLY BEEN RECALIBRATED. NONETHELESS, I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT: 1) HAD THERE BEEN AN IMBAL, AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE FLOWN WING HVY BUT DIDN'T. 2) I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR 3 HRS AND COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE THAT MUCH FUEL LEFT IN THE L TANK. 3) NEVER SWITCHED FROM L MAIN TO AUX OR XFEED WHERE FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. 4) NEVER REALLY HAD A PROB. THIS WAS A MAJOR LEAGUE FOUL UP ON MY PART BECAUSE I TRUSTED THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES AND NOT MY COMMON SENSE. FROM NOW ON I WILL 'FLY THE CLOCK' AND MONITOR FUEL CONSUMPTION ACCORDINGLY, VISUALLY CHK FUEL QUANTITY, LEARN ABOUT THE FUEL SYS IN MY AIRPLANE AND PROPER FUEL MGMNT PROCS, THINK ABOUT THE PROB BEFORE ACTING, USE MY CHKLISTS. DON'T CREATE A BIGGER PROB THAN ALREADY EXISTS.

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.