Narrative:

We had landed at provideniya airport for departure customs and to add fuel for flight to gambell to clear customs, then on to nome. I checked the fuel gauges and noted the auxiliary tanks indicated 1/4 full (10 gallons each). We added 15 gallons to each main tank, bringing the gauges to just above 1/2 full (approximately 30 gallons in each). A total of 80 gallons. Approximately 2 hours 15 mins at normal cruise, estimated time for the flight would be 1 hour 30 mins. It took 25 mins to gambell where I noted main fuel gauges showed 3/8 -- approximately 20 gallons in each main, giving about 60 gallons total. When airborne, I estimated winds nne at 20 KTS, so requested winds aloft at 6000 ft and 9000 ft. Nome reported light and variable so I requested IFR clearance to 7000 ft and estimated 1 hour 15 mins en route. During climb I used about 80 percent power and leaned to egt red line. At 7000 ft I reduced power to 2200 RPM, 26 inches manifold pressure, and leaned to red line and DME showed 150 KTS. I switched to auxiliary tank on right engine and expected about 30 mins, but in 10 mins the engine quit. I switched back to the main tank and in about 15 mins all fuel was exhausted on right engine. I considered xfeed but decided to feather the propeller and head to nearest land -- sledge island. We were about 60 DME out of nome on 240 degree radial. I called zan and told them our problem and intentions. I switched left engine to auxiliary and it lasted about 10 mins. I decided to continue in a cruise power descent on the left engine and at 4500 ft all fuel was exhausted. We landed in the water about 2 mi southwest of sledge island. The cause: the fuel gauges did not give reliable information at low levels. The fuel level cannot be observed below about 33 gallons in the mains and 15 in the auxiliary. So I relied on fuel gauge indications which had been quite reliable on higher fuel levels. Some way of checking fuel level visually would help when fuel is below the 1/2 level instead of depending on fuel gauges or time flown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT FLYING OVERWATER HAS FUEL STARVATION, DITCHES.

Narrative: WE HAD LANDED AT PROVIDENIYA ARPT FOR DEP CUSTOMS AND TO ADD FUEL FOR FLT TO GAMBELL TO CLR CUSTOMS, THEN ON TO NOME. I CHKED THE FUEL GAUGES AND NOTED THE AUX TANKS INDICATED 1/4 FULL (10 GALLONS EACH). WE ADDED 15 GALLONS TO EACH MAIN TANK, BRINGING THE GAUGES TO JUST ABOVE 1/2 FULL (APPROX 30 GALLONS IN EACH). A TOTAL OF 80 GALLONS. APPROX 2 HRS 15 MINS AT NORMAL CRUISE, ESTIMATED TIME FOR THE FLT WOULD BE 1 HR 30 MINS. IT TOOK 25 MINS TO GAMBELL WHERE I NOTED MAIN FUEL GAUGES SHOWED 3/8 -- APPROX 20 GALLONS IN EACH MAIN, GIVING ABOUT 60 GALLONS TOTAL. WHEN AIRBORNE, I ESTIMATED WINDS NNE AT 20 KTS, SO REQUESTED WINDS ALOFT AT 6000 FT AND 9000 FT. NOME RPTED LIGHT AND VARIABLE SO I REQUESTED IFR CLRNC TO 7000 FT AND ESTIMATED 1 HR 15 MINS ENRTE. DURING CLB I USED ABOUT 80 PERCENT PWR AND LEANED TO EGT RED LINE. AT 7000 FT I REDUCED PWR TO 2200 RPM, 26 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE, AND LEANED TO RED LINE AND DME SHOWED 150 KTS. I SWITCHED TO AUX TANK ON R ENG AND EXPECTED ABOUT 30 MINS, BUT IN 10 MINS THE ENG QUIT. I SWITCHED BACK TO THE MAIN TANK AND IN ABOUT 15 MINS ALL FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED ON R ENG. I CONSIDERED XFEED BUT DECIDED TO FEATHER THE PROP AND HEAD TO NEAREST LAND -- SLEDGE ISLAND. WE WERE ABOUT 60 DME OUT OF NOME ON 240 DEG RADIAL. I CALLED ZAN AND TOLD THEM OUR PROB AND INTENTIONS. I SWITCHED L ENG TO AUX AND IT LASTED ABOUT 10 MINS. I DECIDED TO CONTINUE IN A CRUISE PWR DSCNT ON THE L ENG AND AT 4500 FT ALL FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED. WE LANDED IN THE WATER ABOUT 2 MI SW OF SLEDGE ISLAND. THE CAUSE: THE FUEL GAUGES DID NOT GIVE RELIABLE INFO AT LOW LEVELS. THE FUEL LEVEL CANNOT BE OBSERVED BELOW ABOUT 33 GALLONS IN THE MAINS AND 15 IN THE AUX. SO I RELIED ON FUEL GAUGE INDICATIONS WHICH HAD BEEN QUITE RELIABLE ON HIGHER FUEL LEVELS. SOME WAY OF CHKING FUEL LEVEL VISUALLY WOULD HELP WHEN FUEL IS BELOW THE 1/2 LEVEL INSTEAD OF DEPENDING ON FUEL GAUGES OR TIME FLOWN.

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.