An small aircraft instructor pilot ran out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	256326
Time
Date	199311
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : f70
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san tracon : bwi
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 905 flight time type : 9
ASRS Report	256326
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A routine instrument training flight with an estimated 2.5 - 3 hour duration departed palomar. Fuel burn was calculated at 10.5 gph. Prior to departure, both student and instructor independently visually verified 44 total gallons usable fuel on board the aircraft. 3 hours after departure, and 10 mins from touchdown, the aircraft ran out of fuel. Aircraft was successfully landed at F70. At french valley, instructor and fueler both visually verified tanks empty. 20 gallons of fuel was placed on board, and aircraft was flown uneventfully back to palomar. After shutdown at palomar, fuel was requested to 'top off.' fueler was only able to put 40 gallons in the tanks, which have a total capacity of 61 gallons, with 1 gallon unusable. 2 questions arise: are the tanks in fact unable to hold rated capacity? And is the calibration of the tanks in error (22 gallons at the tabs)?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA INSTRUCTOR PLT RAN OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: A ROUTINE INST TRAINING FLT WITH AN ESTIMATED 2.5 - 3 HR DURATION DEPARTED PALOMAR. FUEL BURN WAS CALCULATED AT 10.5 GPH. PRIOR TO DEP, BOTH STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR INDEPENDENTLY VISUALLY VERIFIED 44 TOTAL GALLONS USABLE FUEL ON BOARD THE ACFT. 3 HRS AFTER DEP, AND 10 MINS FROM TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL. ACFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY LANDED AT F70. AT FRENCH VALLEY, INSTRUCTOR AND FUELER BOTH VISUALLY VERIFIED TANKS EMPTY. 20 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS PLACED ON BOARD, AND ACFT WAS FLOWN UNEVENTFULLY BACK TO PALOMAR. AFTER SHUTDOWN AT PALOMAR, FUEL WAS REQUESTED TO 'TOP OFF.' FUELER WAS ONLY ABLE TO PUT 40 GALLONS IN THE TANKS, WHICH HAVE A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 61 GALLONS, WITH 1 GALLON UNUSABLE. 2 QUESTIONS ARISE: ARE THE TANKS IN FACT UNABLE TO HOLD RATED CAPACITY? AND IS THE CALIBRATION OF THE TANKS IN ERROR (22 GALLONS AT THE TABS)?

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.