<< >> NASA ASRS Report 388153, December 1997

Air taxi flight crew runs out of fuel and engines quit as aircraft taxies off the runway. Faulty fuel gauges are blamed.

Attributes
ACN	388153
Time
Date	199712
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : grr
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	388153
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem is caused by misleading the pilot the incorrect amount of fuel remaining in the aircraft from the fuel gauges. I noticed that on other flts that the fuel indication could be wrong, but I was not sure and I was calculating and making adjustment as I flew the plane. They were off by more than 100 gals. As I taxied clear of the runway, both engines quit. What can be done is a better training on my part as to fuel management related to altitude and better maintenance. These gauges have been indicating wrongly for some time and should have been recalibrated to indicate correctly. I made a mechanical report to have this corrected and it's being done, and I will be looking at other aircraft for the same condition.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI FLC RUNS OUT OF FUEL AND ENGS QUIT AS ACFT TAXIES OFF THE RWY. FAULTY FUEL GAUGES ARE BLAMED.

Narrative: THE PROB IS CAUSED BY MISLEADING THE PLT THE INCORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE ACFT FROM THE FUEL GAUGES. I NOTICED THAT ON OTHER FLTS THAT THE FUEL INDICATION COULD BE WRONG, BUT I WAS NOT SURE AND I WAS CALCULATING AND MAKING ADJUSTMENT AS I FLEW THE PLANE. THEY WERE OFF BY MORE THAN 100 GALS. AS I TAXIED CLR OF THE RWY, BOTH ENGS QUIT. WHAT CAN BE DONE IS A BETTER TRAINING ON MY PART AS TO FUEL MGMNT RELATED TO ALT AND BETTER MAINT. THESE GAUGES HAVE BEEN INDICATING WRONGLY FOR SOME TIME AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALIBRATED TO INDICATE CORRECTLY. I MADE A MECHANICAL RPT TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED AND IT'S BEING DONE, AND I WILL BE LOOKING AT OTHER ACFT FOR THE SAME CONDITION.

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.