A C177 pilot discovers that his fuel reserves were less than planned after arriving at bzn, mt.

Attributes
ACN	441450
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bzn.airport
State Reference	MT
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 310 flight time type : 11
ASRS Report	441450
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon landing at my destination, I discovered that the aircraft required 45.2 gallons to fill. The poh lists 48 gallons usable with a minimum of 6.2 gph. The flight was originally planned to take 3.5 hours, burning 9.5 gph. Deviations to avoid WX stretched the actual time en route to 4.1 hours. Calculations en route suggested adequate fuel and the fuel gauges showed about 1/8 tank on landing. I calculated fuel flows for the entire trip after it was over. I have concluded that the line person that filled the tanks prior to the above leg must not have fully filled them. The cardinal looks like a C172 but has a thinner wing. I checked the fuel at preflight by dipping my finger in the tanks. It must have been an inch or so lower than normal but I did not notice. Cardinal pilots should be cautioned that line persons might not fill the tanks all the way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177 PLT DISCOVERS THAT HIS FUEL RESERVES WERE LESS THAN PLANNED AFTER ARRIVING AT BZN, MT.

Narrative: UPON LNDG AT MY DEST, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ACFT REQUIRED 45.2 GALLONS TO FILL. THE POH LISTS 48 GALLONS USABLE WITH A MINIMUM OF 6.2 GPH. THE FLT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO TAKE 3.5 HRS, BURNING 9.5 GPH. DEVS TO AVOID WX STRETCHED THE ACTUAL TIME ENRTE TO 4.1 HRS. CALCULATIONS ENRTE SUGGESTED ADEQUATE FUEL AND THE FUEL GAUGES SHOWED ABOUT 1/8 TANK ON LNDG. I CALCULATED FUEL FLOWS FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP AFTER IT WAS OVER. I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE LINE PERSON THAT FILLED THE TANKS PRIOR TO THE ABOVE LEG MUST NOT HAVE FULLY FILLED THEM. THE CARDINAL LOOKS LIKE A C172 BUT HAS A THINNER WING. I CHKED THE FUEL AT PREFLT BY DIPPING MY FINGER IN THE TANKS. IT MUST HAVE BEEN AN INCH OR SO LOWER THAN NORMAL BUT I DID NOT NOTICE. CARDINAL PLTS SHOULD BE CAUTIONED THAT LINE PERSONS MIGHT NOT FILL THE TANKS ALL THE WAY.

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.