A GA pilot lands and experiences an engine shutdown on account of no fuel was left in the tanks at m...

Attributes
ACN	473069
Time
Date	200005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mri.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mri.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1810 flight time type : 337
ASRS Report	473069
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : +
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing rollout, I turned aircraft off runway and after reaching taxiway, engine spontaneously stopped, and would not restart. Due to light ram and temperature in the 40's degrees F, I initially suspected carburetor ice. However, on refueling I discovered that virtually no fuel was in the main tanks. Prior to takeoff, the fuel quantity on gauges, and visually, was low (approximately 1/4 tank on each), but appeared adequate for an 18-min flight. However, I don't ordinarily fly with less than full main tanks. So I am unfamiliar with exact quantities available. I had forgotten that the previous night I had reviewed the flight times and, given the elapsed time and type of flying since previous refueling, determined that about 4 gallons would need to be added for VFR reserves. I believe several delays in departure and unanticipated maintenance issues contributed to this oversight. However, without doubt I made a grave error in judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GA PLT LANDS AND EXPERIENCES AN ENG SHUTDOWN ON ACCOUNT OF NO FUEL WAS LEFT IN THE TANKS AT MRI, AK.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ROLLOUT, I TURNED ACFT OFF RWY AND AFTER REACHING TXWY, ENG SPONTANEOUSLY STOPPED, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DUE TO LIGHT RAM AND TEMP IN THE 40'S DEGS F, I INITIALLY SUSPECTED CARB ICE. HOWEVER, ON REFUELING I DISCOVERED THAT VIRTUALLY NO FUEL WAS IN THE MAIN TANKS. PRIOR TO TKOF, THE FUEL QUANTITY ON GAUGES, AND VISUALLY, WAS LOW (APPROX 1/4 TANK ON EACH), BUT APPEARED ADEQUATE FOR AN 18-MIN FLT. HOWEVER, I DON'T ORDINARILY FLY WITH LESS THAN FULL MAIN TANKS. SO I AM UNFAMILIAR WITH EXACT QUANTITIES AVAILABLE. I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT I HAD REVIEWED THE FLT TIMES AND, GIVEN THE ELAPSED TIME AND TYPE OF FLYING SINCE PREVIOUS REFUELING, DETERMINED THAT ABOUT 4 GALLONS WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED FOR VFR RESERVES. I BELIEVE SEVERAL DELAYS IN DEP AND UNANTICIPATED MAINT ISSUES CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OVERSIGHT. HOWEVER, WITHOUT DOUBT I MADE A GRAVE ERROR IN JUDGEMENT.

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.

A GA pilot lands and experiences an engine shutdown on account of no fuel was left in the tanks at mri, ak.