Narrative:

This was my first day at a new skydiving center. I was to be trained and do a little flying before I took any skydivers up for a jump. The owner was not there and the other pilot was busy flying another plane. I always fuel my own plane but this time the pump was different and I didn't know how to operate it. I preflted the plane while one of the staff fueled the plane. They used a dipstick for measuring the fuel. It had marks on it. I didn't know how they calculated it so I let him do it. He told me I had plenty for 3 lifts. I believed him. On my third lift, after the jumpers exited the plane, I started my descent. I made it down to 8000 ft AGL when the engine stopped. I landed the airplane at the airport. The engine began running so I could taxi off the runway. When the other pilot dipped the tanks I had about 1 gallon usable fuel, but not enough to keep the engine running during a descent or for level taxi. The staff put in enough fuel for 3 lifts at .9 hours each lift. I took .7 each lift, and there was no reserve in the plane when I started. I didn't watch him and observe how many gallons he put in the plane. I trusted an unfamiliar dipstick.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SKYDIVER DROP ACFT RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND MAKES FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST DAY AT A NEW SKYDIVING CTR. I WAS TO BE TRAINED AND DO A LITTLE FLYING BEFORE I TOOK ANY SKYDIVERS UP FOR A JUMP. THE OWNER WAS NOT THERE AND THE OTHER PLT WAS BUSY FLYING ANOTHER PLANE. I ALWAYS FUEL MY OWN PLANE BUT THIS TIME THE PUMP WAS DIFFERENT AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE IT. I PREFLTED THE PLANE WHILE ONE OF THE STAFF FUELED THE PLANE. THEY USED A DIPSTICK FOR MEASURING THE FUEL. IT HAD MARKS ON IT. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THEY CALCULATED IT SO I LET HIM DO IT. HE TOLD ME I HAD PLENTY FOR 3 LIFTS. I BELIEVED HIM. ON MY THIRD LIFT, AFTER THE JUMPERS EXITED THE PLANE, I STARTED MY DSCNT. I MADE IT DOWN TO 8000 FT AGL WHEN THE ENG STOPPED. I LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT THE ARPT. THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING SO I COULD TAXI OFF THE RWY. WHEN THE OTHER PLT DIPPED THE TANKS I HAD ABOUT 1 GALLON USABLE FUEL, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP THE ENG RUNNING DURING A DSCNT OR FOR LEVEL TAXI. THE STAFF PUT IN ENOUGH FUEL FOR 3 LIFTS AT .9 HRS EACH LIFT. I TOOK .7 EACH LIFT, AND THERE WAS NO RESERVE IN THE PLANE WHEN I STARTED. I DIDN'T WATCH HIM AND OBSERVE HOW MANY GALLONS HE PUT IN THE PLANE. I TRUSTED AN UNFAMILIAR DIPSTICK.

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.