Narrative:

After departing pvd on V146 and being turned over to bdl approach for worcester, I obtained ATIS for worcester and discovered the ceiling was reported at 100 overcast with 4 mi visibility. I asked bdl to verify that ATIS information since our briefing did not report these conditions. Bdl confirmed so I decided to divert to hfd since it was along our return route and requested clearance to hfd. Bdl gave vectors to hfd and I picked up the hfd WX to find conditions were also below minimums. At this time I saw that our fuel gauges were both on empty. I did a quick calculation of time, distance, and calculated we had burned an estimated 22-24 gallons of fuel and therefore had an estimated 14-16 gallons remaining. Our estimated fuel burn rate was 8.5 gph. Therefore, even at a conservative fuel burn of 10 gph we supposedly had sufficient fuel, but I could not verify the fuel gauges were inoperative and tanks for some reason were not empty. I therefore advised bdl I had a potential fuel problem and fuel gauge problem and asked for vectors to the nearest airport. Bdl headed me toward ijd and turned me over to pvd for vectors to localizer 27 approach. We landed at ijd and immediately had the fuel tanks refueled and found there was 8.7 gallons remaining. Upon returning to bdr we grounded the airplane and requested the gauges be checked (now being done). In review of my actions, I feel the only action I could be questioned on is that I did not receive an undated WX report after landing at ack and before departing to orh. Since we planned to be on ground for a short period of time and did receive a WX report prior to take off some 60 mins prior, I did not update the WX at ack, but planned to monitor along the way to orf.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT IN AN AA5 FIND THAT THE WX HAD CHANGED AND THEIR FUEL GAUGES WERE MALFUNCTIONING.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING PVD ON V146 AND BEING TURNED OVER TO BDL APCH FOR WORCESTER, I OBTAINED ATIS FOR WORCESTER AND DISCOVERED THE CEILING WAS RPTED AT 100 OVCST WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY. I ASKED BDL TO VERIFY THAT ATIS INFO SINCE OUR BRIEFING DID NOT RPT THESE CONDITIONS. BDL CONFIRMED SO I DECIDED TO DIVERT TO HFD SINCE IT WAS ALONG OUR RETURN RTE AND REQUESTED CLRNC TO HFD. BDL GAVE VECTORS TO HFD AND I PICKED UP THE HFD WX TO FIND CONDITIONS WERE ALSO BELOW MINIMUMS. AT THIS TIME I SAW THAT OUR FUEL GAUGES WERE BOTH ON EMPTY. I DID A QUICK CALCULATION OF TIME, DISTANCE, AND CALCULATED WE HAD BURNED AN ESTIMATED 22-24 GALLONS OF FUEL AND THEREFORE HAD AN ESTIMATED 14-16 GALLONS REMAINING. OUR ESTIMATED FUEL BURN RATE WAS 8.5 GPH. THEREFORE, EVEN AT A CONSERVATIVE FUEL BURN OF 10 GPH WE SUPPOSEDLY HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL, BUT I COULD NOT VERIFY THE FUEL GAUGES WERE INOP AND TANKS FOR SOME REASON WERE NOT EMPTY. I THEREFORE ADVISED BDL I HAD A POTENTIAL FUEL PROB AND FUEL GAUGE PROB AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. BDL HEADED ME TOWARD IJD AND TURNED ME OVER TO PVD FOR VECTORS TO LOC 27 APCH. WE LANDED AT IJD AND IMMEDIATELY HAD THE FUEL TANKS REFUELED AND FOUND THERE WAS 8.7 GALLONS REMAINING. UPON RETURNING TO BDR WE GNDED THE AIRPLANE AND REQUESTED THE GAUGES BE CHKED (NOW BEING DONE). IN REVIEW OF MY ACTIONS, I FEEL THE ONLY ACTION I COULD BE QUESTIONED ON IS THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE AN UNDATED WX RPT AFTER LNDG AT ACK AND BEFORE DEPARTING TO ORH. SINCE WE PLANNED TO BE ON GND FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND DID RECEIVE A WX RPT PRIOR TO TAKE OFF SOME 60 MINS PRIOR, I DID NOT UPDATE THE WX AT ACK, BUT PLANNED TO MONITOR ALONG THE WAY TO ORF.

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.