Narrative:

The problem started with me noticing the right main fuel gauge reading lower than it should have. I switched to auxiliary tanks on both sides. I ran the auxiliary tanks to what I believed to be dry. The right auxiliary tank still was showing full-I believed the tank to be almost empty and the gauge to be sticking. I ran the main tanks the rest of the way having planned to have 1 hour reserve on board. Knowing my fueled load but having odd fuel gauge readings I stayed high-above 8500 ft until 10 mi from the field. The right engine quit from fuel starvation from the right main tank being empty. I crossfed the right engine from the left main fuel tank 20 mi from the airport still above 8500 ft. I told the approach controller I had minimum fuel because the left main fuel gauge was showing lower and going down faster than I thought it should. I believed I had plenty of fuel but the gauges were starting to show that I could possibly not if I had delays. When turned over to the tower controller, she asked if I wanted to declare an emergency, I replied no. I believe she asked me a second time and I again said no. Then she asked if I wanted the fire department to standby. I said that would be ok and 1 min later told her I had the field made with no problems. Upon landing and checking the airplane I found the right auxiliary tank to be full (15 gallons) and the left main to have 11 gallons. I don't know what caused this, if I was tired and didn't switch to the auxiliary tank. I don't believe this to be so since I was so aware of the gauges. I called maintenance and the chief pilot to make them aware of the situation. I did not want to declare an emergency. I don't believe I had one but wanted to make the tower aware in case the situation did deteriorate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL GAUGE INDICATION PROBS CAUSE PLT CONFUSION AS TO FUEL AVAILABILITY.

Narrative: THE PROB STARTED WITH ME NOTICING THE R MAIN FUEL GAUGE READING LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE. I SWITCHED TO AUX TANKS ON BOTH SIDES. I RAN THE AUX TANKS TO WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE DRY. THE R AUX TANK STILL WAS SHOWING FULL-I BELIEVED THE TANK TO BE ALMOST EMPTY AND THE GAUGE TO BE STICKING. I RAN THE MAIN TANKS THE REST OF THE WAY HAVING PLANNED TO HAVE 1 HR RESERVE ON BOARD. KNOWING MY FUELED LOAD BUT HAVING ODD FUEL GAUGE READINGS I STAYED HIGH-ABOVE 8500 FT UNTIL 10 MI FROM THE FIELD. THE R ENG QUIT FROM FUEL STARVATION FROM THE R MAIN TANK BEING EMPTY. I CROSSFED THE R ENG FROM THE L MAIN FUEL TANK 20 MI FROM THE ARPT STILL ABOVE 8500 FT. I TOLD THE APCH CTLR I HAD MINIMUM FUEL BECAUSE THE L MAIN FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING LOWER AND GOING DOWN FASTER THAN I THOUGHT IT SHOULD. I BELIEVED I HAD PLENTY OF FUEL BUT THE GAUGES WERE STARTING TO SHOW THAT I COULD POSSIBLY NOT IF I HAD DELAYS. WHEN TURNED OVER TO THE TWR CTLR, SHE ASKED IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER, I REPLIED NO. I BELIEVE SHE ASKED ME A SECOND TIME AND I AGAIN SAID NO. THEN SHE ASKED IF I WANTED THE FIRE DEPT TO STANDBY. I SAID THAT WOULD BE OK AND 1 MIN LATER TOLD HER I HAD THE FIELD MADE WITH NO PROBS. UPON LNDG AND CHKING THE AIRPLANE I FOUND THE R AUX TANK TO BE FULL (15 GALLONS) AND THE L MAIN TO HAVE 11 GALLONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS, IF I WAS TIRED AND DIDN'T SWITCH TO THE AUX TANK. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS TO BE SO SINCE I WAS SO AWARE OF THE GAUGES. I CALLED MAINT AND THE CHIEF PLT TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE SIT. I DID NOT WANT TO DECLARE AN EMER. I DON'T BELIEVE I HAD ONE BUT WANTED TO MAKE THE TWR AWARE IN CASE THE SIT DID DETERIORATE.

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.