A cessna 206 ran a tank dry right after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	266183
Time
Date	199403
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : clt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	266183
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	266186
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As a student on training flight from charlotte, the engine of a 206 lost pwr. The instructor landed the plane safely on the runway. On inspection, the left gas cap was found to be backwards and the tank required 30 gals in a 31.5 cap tank. The instructor had checked the fuel on the first flight and found the left tank to indicate 1/2 full. The right tank was full. He flew approximately 35 mins on the right, and 20 mins on the left. It is my practice, as owner, to always fill both tanks before hangaring. On questioning, it was found that a licensed pilot with permission flew the plane less than an hour and did not refuel before hangaring. On preflight in charlotte, the left tank gauge did not indicate empty, but less than 1/2. It appears that the fuel may have been sucked out on the takeoff if the cap was not sealed properly. Contributing factors: failure to check the cap and capacity visually in each tank. Not refueling prior to hangaring the aircraft. Corrective action: always visually verify fuel in aircraft and check fuel caps. Supplemental information from acn 266186: cleared for takeoff on runway 5. When we turned left 270 degree, engine lost power. I took over the controls and continued left turn to line us up with runway 18L for emergency landing. Tower cleared us to land any runway. During descent, engine came back on. After engine shutdown, we inspected fuel tanks, and we saw that left fuel tank was empty. Pilot error to double-check it. My student preflted the plane before departure. Pilot error on both my side and my student.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 206 RAN A TANK DRY RIGHT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: AS A STUDENT ON TRAINING FLT FROM CHARLOTTE, THE ENG OF A 206 LOST PwR. THE INSTRUCTOR LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY ON THE RWY. ON INSPECTION, THE L GAS CAP WAS FOUND TO BE BACKWARDS AND THE TANK REQUIRED 30 GALS IN A 31.5 CAP TANK. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD CHKED THE FUEL ON THE FIRST FLT AND FOUND THE L TANK TO INDICATE 1/2 FULL. THE R TANK WAS FULL. HE FLEW APPROX 35 MINS ON THE R, AND 20 MINS ON THE L. IT IS MY PRACTICE, AS OWNER, TO ALWAYS FILL BOTH TANKS BEFORE HANGARING. ON QUESTIONING, IT WAS FOUND THAT A LICENSED PLT WITH PERMISSION FLEW THE PLANE LESS THAN AN HR AND DID NOT REFUEL BEFORE HANGARING. ON PREFLT IN CHARLOTTE, THE L TANK GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE EMPTY, BUT LESS THAN 1/2. IT APPEARS THAT THE FUEL MAY HAVE BEEN SUCKED OUT ON THE TKOF IF THE CAP WAS NOT SEALED PROPERLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FAILURE TO CHK THE CAP AND CAPACITY VISUALLY IN EACH TANK. NOT REFUELING PRIOR TO HANGARING THE ACFT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: ALWAYS VISUALLY VERIFY FUEL IN ACFT AND CHK FUEL CAPS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 266186: CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 5. WHEN WE TURNED L 270 DEG, ENG LOST PWR. I TOOK OVER THE CTLS AND CONTINUED L TURN TO LINE US UP WITH RWY 18L FOR EMER LNDG. TWR CLRED US TO LAND ANY RWY. DURING DSCNT, ENG CAME BACK ON. AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN, WE INSPECTED FUEL TANKS, AND WE SAW THAT L FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. PLT ERROR TO DOUBLE-CHK IT. MY STUDENT PREFLTED THE PLANE BEFORE DEP. PLT ERROR ON BOTH MY SIDE AND MY STUDENT.

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.