Small aircraft pilot runs out of fuel.

Attributes
ACN	264269
Time
Date	199402
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ok16
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : tul
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1230 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	264269
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was from mfi to 2r8. Departed mfi VFR. I would fly VFR as far south, then fly IFR when needed. I landed at alo, fueled up, checked WX, and departed toward dsm. I landed at dsm to get fuel and IFR charts. I had much trouble finding IFR charts and this is where my mistake came in. In dealing with finding these charts, which were mandatory because farther south was IFR, I inadvertently forgot to fuel. In my preflight, I was so programmed to get fuel at every stop, I mistakenly saw full tanks. I had all the charts and approach plates and was on my way to tul. I am not exactly sure at what point this happened or if this was coincidental, but my engine was running very rough at times and in diagnosing the problem it finally dawned on me that I had forgotten to get fuel at dsm. I let ARTCC know of my rough running engine and told them I would keep them advised. I felt confident that I would make my destination with proper reserves due to a very strong tailwind and my fuel gauges confirmed that. As time passed, I noticed my fuel gauges were stuck. At this time, I was concerned and advised ATC. They advised me of all the alternates, but the WX was not permitting. I continued to have engine roughness for about 1 hour. I tried switching tanks and carburetor heat. This didn't seem to make much change. Finally, my engine quit. I tried to reach ZKC and tul approach both for about 2-3 mins. Finally, I tuned in 121.5 and issued a mayday 3 times. I then was in touch with tul. He advised me to switch to his frequency and that there was an airport in my vicinity. He vectored me to the airport and I landed with no further incident. My problem with this flight was looking without seeing. I am so habituated to fueling at every stop, that I looked at the fuel level and saw full because I expected to. I now will make sure I actually see what I expect to see before I determine a situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RUNS OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS FROM MFI TO 2R8. DEPARTED MFI VFR. I WOULD FLY VFR AS FAR S, THEN FLY IFR WHEN NEEDED. I LANDED AT ALO, FUELED UP, CHKED WX, AND DEPARTED TOWARD DSM. I LANDED AT DSM TO GET FUEL AND IFR CHARTS. I HAD MUCH TROUBLE FINDING IFR CHARTS AND THIS IS WHERE MY MISTAKE CAME IN. IN DEALING WITH FINDING THESE CHARTS, WHICH WERE MANDATORY BECAUSE FARTHER S WAS IFR, I INADVERTENTLY FORGOT TO FUEL. IN MY PREFLT, I WAS SO PROGRAMMED TO GET FUEL AT EVERY STOP, I MISTAKENLY SAW FULL TANKS. I HAD ALL THE CHARTS AND APCH PLATES AND WAS ON MY WAY TO TUL. I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE AT WHAT POINT THIS HAPPENED OR IF THIS WAS COINCIDENTAL, BUT MY ENG WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH AT TIMES AND IN DIAGNOSING THE PROB IT FINALLY DAWNED ON ME THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO GET FUEL AT DSM. I LET ARTCC KNOW OF MY ROUGH RUNNING ENG AND TOLD THEM I WOULD KEEP THEM ADVISED. I FELT CONFIDENT THAT I WOULD MAKE MY DEST WITH PROPER RESERVES DUE TO A VERY STRONG TAILWIND AND MY FUEL GAUGES CONFIRMED THAT. AS TIME PASSED, I NOTICED MY FUEL GAUGES WERE STUCK. AT THIS TIME, I WAS CONCERNED AND ADVISED ATC. THEY ADVISED ME OF ALL THE ALTERNATES, BUT THE WX WAS NOT PERMITTING. I CONTINUED TO HAVE ENG ROUGHNESS FOR ABOUT 1 HR. I TRIED SWITCHING TANKS AND CARB HEAT. THIS DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE MUCH CHANGE. FINALLY, MY ENG QUIT. I TRIED TO REACH ZKC AND TUL APCH BOTH FOR ABOUT 2-3 MINS. FINALLY, I TUNED IN 121.5 AND ISSUED A MAYDAY 3 TIMES. I THEN WAS IN TOUCH WITH TUL. HE ADVISED ME TO SWITCH TO HIS FREQ AND THAT THERE WAS AN ARPT IN MY VICINITY. HE VECTORED ME TO THE ARPT AND I LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. MY PROB WITH THIS FLT WAS LOOKING WITHOUT SEEING. I AM SO HABITUATED TO FUELING AT EVERY STOP, THAT I LOOKED AT THE FUEL LEVEL AND SAW FULL BECAUSE I EXPECTED TO. I NOW WILL MAKE SURE I ACTUALLY SEE WHAT I EXPECT TO SEE BEFORE I DETERMINE A 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.