The reporter ran out of fuel with gauge reading 3 quarters full and after having visually checked th...

Attributes
ACN	289412
Time
Date	199411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 056
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	LA-4 A/B Buccaneer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	289412
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Prior to departing petaluma airport, I performed a normal preflight inspection including visually looking inside fuel tank and observing fuel gauge indication which was 3/4 full. Approximately 45 mins after departure, with the fuel gauge still indicating 3/4 full the engine quit due to fuel starvation. The aircraft, a lake LA4, has only 1 40-gallon tank and subsequent to my landing, I pumped 39.2 gallons of fuel into it. After the engine failed at 3000 ft and 2 or 3 mi from the nearest airport (gnoss field), I managed to execute an emergency landing on the runway at gnoss and exit the runway onto the taxiway before the plane came to a complete stop. The emergency landing caused no damage or injuries. I credit my training in emergency procedures as the only thing that kept this from becoming a disaster. I was able to glide to the runway, extend my landing gear when I was close and configure the airplane for landing and execute a safe emergency landing. This does not make up for my initial error of not being more vigilant in assuring that I had enough fuel on board to safely complete the flight. It might also be a good idea to find out how often fuel gauges give false indications of fuel amounts. I plan on having my fuel gauge and system checked immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR RAN OUT OF FUEL WITH GAUGE READING 3 QUARTERS FULL AND AFTER HAVING VISUALLY CHKED THE QUANTITY IN THE TANK SUBSEQUENT TO 45 MINS FLYING.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING PETALUMA ARPT, I PERFORMED A NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION INCLUDING VISUALLY LOOKING INSIDE FUEL TANK AND OBSERVING FUEL GAUGE INDICATION WHICH WAS 3/4 FULL. APPROX 45 MINS AFTER DEP, WITH THE FUEL GAUGE STILL INDICATING 3/4 FULL THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE ACFT, A LAKE LA4, HAS ONLY 1 40-GALLON TANK AND SUBSEQUENT TO MY LNDG, I PUMPED 39.2 GALLONS OF FUEL INTO IT. AFTER THE ENG FAILED AT 3000 FT AND 2 OR 3 MI FROM THE NEAREST ARPT (GNOSS FIELD), I MANAGED TO EXECUTE AN EMER LNDG ON THE RWY AT GNOSS AND EXIT THE RWY ONTO THE TXWY BEFORE THE PLANE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE EMER LNDG CAUSED NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES. I CREDIT MY TRAINING IN EMER PROCS AS THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT THIS FROM BECOMING A DISASTER. I WAS ABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RWY, EXTEND MY LNDG GEAR WHEN I WAS CLOSE AND CONFIGURE THE AIRPLANE FOR LNDG AND EXECUTE A SAFE EMER LNDG. THIS DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR MY INITIAL ERROR OF NOT BEING MORE VIGILANT IN ASSURING THAT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL ON BOARD TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE FLT. IT MIGHT ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA TO FIND OUT HOW OFTEN FUEL GAUGES GIVE FALSE INDICATIONS OF FUEL AMOUNTS. I PLAN ON HAVING MY FUEL GAUGE AND SYS CHKED IMMEDIATELY.

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.

The reporter ran out of fuel with gauge reading 3 quarters full and after having visually checked the quantity in the tank subsequent to 45 mins flying.